Angry villagers vandalised the residence of a Trinamul leader in Gaighata, North 24-Parganas, on Thursday morning after a Trinamul worker allegedly killed an elderly BJP supporter who reportedly protested the former's drunken misbehaviour on Wednesday night.

Police had a tough time dispersing the mob, who demanded the arrest of Trinamul worker and prime accused Samir Mullick and president of the party’s Bongaon organisational district committee and Gaighata panchayat samiti member Nirupam Roy.

The villagers blamed Nirupam for patronising Samir, accused of murdering the 62-year-old BJP supporter Kanan Roy.

The situation came under control only after police arrested Samir. But the area stayed tense as some villagers kept demanding Nirupam be arrested too.

Police and local sources said that on Wednesday night Samir was drunk and verbally abusing his neighbours who were BJP supporters in Manikhira Deshpara, Gaighata.

BJP worker Jayanta Roy and his mother Kanan protested. This led to an altercation between Jayanta and Samir in the presence of Nirupam, sources said. Samir hit both the son and mother with a bamboo stick on their heads. The blow proved fatal for the mother.

Jayanta’s wife was also beaten up too.

Kanan was first rushed to Chandpara Rural Hospital but soon transferred to Barasat State General Hospital, where she died.

Jayanta said: “Samir attacked us and Nirupam supported him. He watched the attack and did not stop Samir.... He is also responsible for my mother’s murder”.

On Thursday, when angry villagers demanded Nirupam's arrest and vandalised his home, the police dispersed them by promising to look into the charge.

BJP’s Bongaon organisational district president Debdas Mondal said: “The incident was instigated by Nirupam. His actual target was the deceased's son Jayanta.”

Refuting the charges, Nirupam said: "The death is a fallout of a feud between two neighboring families that has no political link. But the BJP influenced some villagers to attack my house. I called the police and urged them to arrest accused party worker Samir Mullick without any bias. I have no relation with him."

Superintendent of Bongaon police district Joyeeta Bose said: “We have arrested the main accused. The other charges are being looked into."