CID probe ordered into BJP leader Manish Shukla's killing

Kolkata:The Mamata Banerjee government on Monday ordered a CID probe into the killing of BJP leader Manish Shukla, even as the opposition saffron brigade demanded a CBI inquiry and spearheaded a 12-hour industrial Barrackpore shutdown since this morning.

Motorcycle borne gunmen sprayed bullets on former Titagarh Municipality Councillor ManishShukla on Sunday evening at his party office near Titagarh police station.State BJP president Dilip Ghosh claimed that 12 bullets, four of them, pierced through the head of the victim.

BJP MP from Barrackpore Arjun Singh claimed that carbine was used to assassinate his party colleague and his close associate Shukla. He demanded a CBI probe into the political murder. He claimed that he was also a target in the conspiracy to liquidate the opposition leaders, particularly those who switched over to BJP from the ruling TMC.

" We do not believe in the probe of state police because many BJP leaders and activists have been killed and the assailants have not been booked yet," said Mr Singh and Dilip Ghosh.Mr Singh claimed that truth will not come out if the state police probed the murder because whenever a crime happened against the BJP the area went out of CCTV cameras. " This time

also the same thing happened," claimed Mr Singh, who was flanked by central security personnel.

" Shukla's murder was pre-planned as he had no body guards and he was shot dead from point blank range," said Mr Singh." Please do not jump to conclusion without proper investigation. Irresponsible comments on social media tantamount to interference in the investigation. Please refrain from this," West Bengal Policewarned in its Twitter account.

 " A person was shot dead last evening in Titagarh area of Barrackpore. Police is investigating the crime and looking into all possible reasons including personal enmity because the victim was accused in some cases of murder and attempt of murder," said the West Bengal Police twitter account.

Meanwhile, BJP national leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, who first visited the bereaved family, went to the NRS hospital where Shukla's postmortem was held.

Besides him, another MP Locket Chatterjee and Arjun Singh visited the hospital. But another BJP national leader Arvind Menon was not allowed to enter the hospital when the report came in.Meanwhile, stressing on the need for stoppage of political violence and targeted killings, West Bengal Chief Minister Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday conveyed his concern over the present alarming scenario in the state to the new Chief Secretary.

 " Conveyed my concern of the present alarming scenario @MamataOfficial to the new Chief Secretary, " Mr Dhankhar tweeted." Am sure the chief minister would be indicated all these critical aspects that run down democratic governance and lawlessness, " he said.

" Political violence and targeted killings must stop, " the Governor added.Earlier, Mr Dhankhar launched a scathing attack at the state's law and order situation hours after the killing of a BJP councillor." Alarming nosediving law and order scenario @MamataOfficial, " he tweeted." Targeted political killings in spite of alert by Constitutional Head. Neither ACS Home nor DGP

@WBPolice responded, " he said.

" To CM at 10.47 PM "Would like to speak to you urgently ! " " Only silence that speaks volumes, " he commented. Mr Dhankhar summoned the ACS Home and DGP in the wake of yesterday's gunning down of BJP leader and Titagarh Municipality Councillor Manish Shukla in the party office.

Taking to his twitter handle, Mr Dhankhar said, " ACS Home @MamataOfficial and DGP

@WBPolice have been summoned at 10 am tomorrow in the wake of worsening law and order situation leading to dastardly killing of Manish Shukla, Councillor, Titagarh Municipality in political party office. "(UNI)