Traders at Khajra Bazaar in West Midnapore’s Keshiary on Thursday kept their shops closed in protest against the murder of Bibhu Ranjan Das.

Bibhu was shot dead in front of his betel shop on Wednesday evening with Trinamul claiming he was a party worker and was targeted for having his outlet open during the BJP bandh.

A police officer said a team had gone to Khajra Bazaar and questioned shopkeepers to know what exactly had happened and the events leading to the death of Bibhu.

“From the mode of operation, we suspect that the murder was committed by professionals. We have pressed our sources into service in order to identify the criminals,” the officer said.

District superintendent of police Alok Rajoria, however, declined comment.

Trinamul brought out a protest marches in all blocks of the district.

Trinamul workers brought Bibhu’s body from Midnapore Medical College and Hospital after post-mortem to the party office in Midnapore town, where wreathes were placed over his body.

All India general secretary of Trinamul Subrata Bakshi, irrigation minister Soumen Mahapatra and party’s Rajya Sabha member Manas Bhuniya were among those present.

Later, they led a procession in protest against Bibhu’s murder in Midnapore town.

Bakshi said: “The BJP is spreading violence in the country. Last evening’s murder is a fallout of that. People will give Dilip Ghosh and his party a befitting reply.”

Trinamul district president Ajit Maity said: “We know who are behind this murder and Bibhu’s family will soon lodge a complaint.”

Bibhu’s nephew, Subhankar Dinda, said the family would lodge an FIR. “We couldn’t lodge the FIR today (Thursday) as we were busy releasing the body after the post mortem,” he added.

The BJP MLA from Kharagpur, Sadar Dilip Ghosh, who visited his constituency on Thursday, alleged that the murder was engineered by Trinamul.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), our party workers had blocked the motorcycle and the SUV of the assailants and the police were informed. But police did not come and instead helped them escape as their identity would have been revealed. We demand an impartial probe into the murder. Only then the truth will come out,” said Ghosh.