BJP factional clash in Titagarh leaves worker critical; police lathicharge to restore order
Synopsis
A BJP Vijaya Sammilani in Titagarh turned violent late on 31 October night when a rival group allegedly attacked party workers as they left the venue. One worker, Karan Seth, is in critical condition and has been shifted to a second hospital. The incident has split the local BJP leadership, with the Mandal president alleging an organised attack and the Youth Morcha chief calling it a personal dispute — while police investigate.
Key Takeaways
Karan Seth , reportedly IT in-charge of BJP Barrackpore Mandal No.
3 , was critically injured in the violence on 31 October in Titagarh , North 24 Parganas .
He was initially admitted to Barrackpore BN Bose Hospital and later transferred to Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kamarhati as his condition deteriorated.
Police carried out a lathicharge near Mamata Medical Hall , close to Titagarh police station , to disperse the clashing groups.
A complaint has been filed against Sunand Hari , accused of leading the attack; Titagarh police have launched an investigation.
BJP Mandal president Santosh Singh alleged the assault was organised, while Youth Morcha president Vishal Jaiswal described it as a local personal dispute unrelated to the party.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was left in critical condition after clashes erupted between two rival factions of the party in Titagarh, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, late on Friday night, 31 October. Police were forced to carry out a lathicharge to disperse the groups and restore order, according to police officials speaking on Saturday.
How the Violence Unfolded
The Titagarh BJP Mandal had organised a Vijaya Sammilani on Friday evening, an event that reportedly continued well into the night. As workers and supporters began leaving the venue, a separate group allegedly launched an attack on them, sparking a violent confrontation near Mamata Medical Hall, close to the Titagarh police station.
Police personnel responded after receiving information about the violence and resorted to a lathicharge to break up the clashing groups. A complaint has been lodged against a person identified as Sunand Hari, who has been accused of leading the attack.
BJP Worker in Critical Condition
According to local sources, Karan Seth, reportedly the IT in-charge of BJP Barrackpore Mandal No. 3, sustained serious injuries in the assault. He was initially admitted to Barrackpore BN Bose Hospital in critical condition. As his condition deteriorated, he was subsequently transferred to Sagore Dutta Hospital in Kamarhati.
What BJP Leaders Have Alleged
BJP Mandal president Santosh Singh alleged that the attack occurred after Transport Minister Arjun Singh had departed from the Vijaya Sammilani. 'Minister Arjun Singh attended the Vijaya Sammilani programme today. After he left, some of us went out for some work. When the others were leaving, a group of miscreants led by Sunand Hari attacked our party workers. Karan Seth was brutally beaten up and his condition is critical,' Singh alleged.
Singh further claimed that Karan Seth had been targeted previously as well, and that his residence had been vandalised on an earlier occasion. He also alleged that Sunand Hari had recently attended the birthday celebration of Barrackpore MLA Kaustuv Bagchi. A section of BJP workers reportedly linked the incident to remarks made by MLA Bagchi about Transport Minister Arjun Singh, though the precise nature of those remarks was not detailed in the available accounts.
Party Disputes the Intra-Faction Narrative
BJP district Youth Morcha president Vishal Jaiswal dismissed the characterisation of the incident as an intra-party clash, describing it instead as a local dispute. He denied that the injured individual was a member of the BJP's IT cell, and suggested that those making such claims might not be fully aware of the facts. He also described Karan Seth as a relative newcomer to the party.
Investigation Under Way
Titagarh police have launched an investigation. A police officer confirmed that an assault had taken place and said investigators were probing the full circumstances that led to the violence. This incident adds to a pattern of politically linked violence in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas corridor, a region that has seen repeated confrontations involving party workers in recent years. How the police investigation resolves conflicting accounts within the BJP will determine whether formal arrests follow.
Point of View
Where competing local power centres have repeatedly clashed as the party consolidated its presence in the state. The contradictory statements from two party officials in the same district are a tell: one side framing it as a targeted political attack, the other as a private quarrel. That gap is unlikely to close without pressure from the state or national leadership. More consequential is the allegation linking the accused to a sitting MLA's inner circle — if substantiated by the police investigation, it transforms a law-and-order incident into a story about internal party accountability. Bengal's opposition BJP has long attacked the ruling dispensation on political violence; that narrative becomes harder to sustain when the victims and alleged perpetrators wear the same colour.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Titagarh on 31 October 2026?
A BJP factional clash broke out in Titagarh, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, late on the night of 31 October after a Vijaya Sammilani event organised by the local BJP Mandal. A group allegedly attacked party workers as they were leaving the venue, leaving BJP worker Karan Seth critically injured. Police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the groups.
Who is Karan Seth and how serious are his injuries?
Karan Seth is reportedly the IT in-charge of BJP Barrackpore Mandal No. 3, though this has been disputed by BJP Youth Morcha president Vishal Jaiswal, who described him as a newcomer. He sustained serious injuries in the assault, was admitted to Barrackpore BN Bose Hospital in critical condition, and was subsequently shifted to Sagore Dutta Hospital in Kamarhati as his condition worsened.
Who has been accused of leading the attack?
A complaint has been filed against a person identified as Sunand Hari, who has been accused of leading the attack on BJP workers after the Vijaya Sammilani. BJP Mandal president Santosh Singh also alleged that Sunand Hari had recently attended the birthday celebration of Barrackpore MLA Kaustuv Bagchi.
Is the BJP treating this as an internal party clash?
The party is divided on this. BJP Mandal president Santosh Singh alleged it was a targeted attack on party workers, while BJP district Youth Morcha president Vishal Jaiswal dismissed the intra-party angle, calling it a local dispute. The Titagarh police investigation is expected to clarify the circumstances.
What role did Transport Minister Arjun Singh play?
Transport Minister Arjun Singh attended the Vijaya Sammilani programme in Titagarh but had left the venue before the violence broke out, according to BJP Mandal president Santosh Singh. Some BJP workers also alleged that remarks made by Barrackpore MLA Kaustuv Bagchi about Minister Singh had triggered the underlying tension, though this has not been independently confirmed.
