BJP worker Bapi Pramanik hacked to death in Baruipur Durga Puja clash
Synopsis
A BJP worker was lured out of his home late Sunday night and hacked to death in Baruipur, West Bengal — the trigger: a turf war over a local Durga Puja committee. With the BJP pointing fingers at TMC-linked 'miscreants' and the named accused being a suspended BJP leader himself, the killing lays bare how community festivals have become battlegrounds for political control in the state.
Key Takeaways
Bapi Pramanik , a 45-year-old BJP worker, was hacked to death on Sunday night, 24 August in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas .
The violence erupted over control of a local community Durga Puja Committee at Hardoho village panchayat .
Pramanik's family alleges he was lured out of his home by a late-night phone call before being attacked.
The family has named suspended BJP leader Sujan Mondal as the alleged mastermind.
BJP's Uttam Kar alleged Trinamool Congress -linked individuals are behind the murder; TMC has not yet responded publicly.
Police have detained several persons for questioning and deployed a large contingent to contain tension.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Bapi Pramanik, aged 45, was killed in clashes between two groups fighting for control of a local community Durga Puja Committee at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on the night of Sunday, 24 August, district police confirmed on Monday. The incident took place at Hardoho village panchayat under Baruipur Police Station, and several others were also injured in the violence.
How the Attack Unfolded
According to Pramanik's family, he received a phone call late Sunday night asking him to step out of his house. After he left, he was allegedly hacked to death. His family has named local BJP leader Sujan Mondal as the alleged mastermind — a figure who, notably, had been suspended from the party days earlier for what the party described as anti-party and immoral activities.
Atish Biswas, Additional Superintendent of Baruipur Police District, confirmed that Pramanik sustained serious injuries during the clashes and was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. Several others were also hurt in the incident.
BJP's Allegation Against Trinamool Congress
Uttam Kar, the BJP's former organisational district president in South 24 Parganas, alleged that 'a group of miscreants associated with Trinamool Congress (TMC) is behind the murder of Pramanik.' Kar was careful to note that the local leader against whom allegations are being made had already been suspended by the BJP before the incident.
Kar further stated that Pramanik had been a long-standing BJP member who was forced to leave his home for nearly 10 years during an earlier TMC regime due to his political affiliation. According to Kar, Pramanik had only returned home after the recently concluded West Bengal assembly elections earlier this year.
Police Response and Deployment
District police confirmed that several persons have been detained for questioning in connection with the killing. 'An investigation has been launched based on the complaint of the family members of the deceased. A large police contingent has been deployed in the area to prevent escalation of tension,' a district police officer said.
The clashes over the Durga Puja committee's control point to a recurring pattern in West Bengal, where community festivals have increasingly become flashpoints for political rivalry between the BJP and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). This is not an isolated incident — similar clashes over puja committee control have been reported across the state in previous years.
Background and Political Context
The killing adds to a long-running narrative of political violence in West Bengal, a state where BJP-TMC tensions have intensified since the 2021 assembly elections. Community organisations such as Durga Puja committees have often served as sites of local power contestation, with both parties vying for grassroots influence. The fact that the accused named by the family is a suspended BJP member adds a layer of complexity to the political blame game currently unfolding.
Authorities have urged calm, and the heavy police presence in Baruipur is aimed at preventing retaliatory violence as the investigation proceeds.
Point of View
And controlling them is controlling votes. What this incident underscores is that political violence in the state has become so normalised that even a community festival committee can serve as a murder motive. The police response — detentions, heavy deployment — is procedurally correct, but the state government's silence on the political dimensions will itself become a political statement.
NationPress
24 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bapi Pramanik and how was he killed?
Bapi Pramanik was a 45-year-old BJP worker from Baruipur in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. According to his family, he was lured out of his home by a late-night phone call on Sunday, 24 August, and subsequently hacked to death. He was taken to hospital but did not survive his injuries.
What was the cause of the clashes in Baruipur?
The clashes broke out over control of a local community Durga Puja Committee at Hardoho village panchayat under Baruipur Police Station. Such disputes over puja committees, which carry significant local political influence in West Bengal, have previously led to violence across the state.
Who does the BJP blame for Pramanik's murder?
BJP's former organisational district president Uttam Kar alleged that TMC-linked individuals are behind the killing. However, the family's named accused is Sujan Mondal, a local BJP leader who had been suspended from the party for anti-party and immoral activities days before the incident.
What action has the police taken so far?
Police have detained several persons for questioning and launched a formal investigation based on the family's complaint. A large police contingent has been deployed in the area to prevent further escalation of tension.
What is the political background of Bapi Pramanik?
According to BJP leader Uttam Kar, Pramanik had been a long-standing party member who was forced to leave his home for nearly 10 years during an earlier TMC regime due to his political affiliation. He had reportedly returned home only after the West Bengal assembly elections held earlier this year.
