Two senior CPI(M) leaders, including former party MLA Pradip Tah, were on Wednesday hacked to death by suspected Trinamool workers in Burdwan town during a procession to drum up support for the countrywide February 28 industrial strike call.
The attackers armed with spears, rods and lathis attacked Tah and CPI(M) district committee member Kamal Gayen at Dewandighi area in the town, Burdwan Superintendent of Police S A M Mirza told reporters.
Gayen was rushed to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital and Gayen to a Kolkata hospital, where both died of their injuries, Mirza said.
Police sources said four Trinamool Congress supporters from Mirzapur area Choton Chakraborty, Patitpaban Tah, Suji Tah and Gopal Goswami have been arrested.
The police were searching for some more attackers, the sources said. Reinforcements were rushed to the area in view of high tension.
CPI(M)'s district committee secretary Amal Haldar said the killing of Tah, a former MLA from the Burdwan North Assembly constituency and Gayen, 'was cold-blooded murder by Trinamool Congress which is now isolated from the masses'.
The processonists were also protesting yesterday's attack on CPI(M) workers at Deondighi allegedly by Trinamool Congress men. CPI(M) has called a 12-hour bandh in Burdwan district tomorrow to protest the killing.