A person died of stab wounds during a clash between two groups at New Jalpaiguri area in ward 35 of Siliguri Municipal Corporation late on Friday night.

Kalipada Roy, 40, was fatally injured during a clash that broke out in a gambling den near the truck terminal of the Indian Oil Corporation. Roy was rushed to Siliguri district hospital and later to a private nursing home at Sevoke Road where he was pronounced dead.

It is not yet clear what Roy was doing at the location and why the clash erupted.

After the incident, Shampa Nandi, the local TMC councillor and Jaydip Nandi, a TMC leader in New Jalpaiguri area, went to the spot. They also spoke with Roy’s family and condemned the incident.

“Some goons are resorting to violence in the locality. I spoke to Gautam Deb, the mayor, about the incident which happened because of illegal gambling. We will also appeal to police to take necessary steps and nab all those involved in the incident,” said Joydip.

Representatives of the Inttuc also submitted a memorandum at the NJP police station, requesting strict vigil in the locality and steps to curb such activities. A police picket has been raised in the area.

Murder attempt

In Malda, unidentified persons fired two rounds at a trader in Baganpara, a village under Rashiladaha panchayat in Malda police station area, on Friday night.

Suman Saha, the 40-year-old trader, was hit by a bullet in his leg and is under treatment at the Malda Medical College and Hospital.

Rakhi, his wife, alleged that the land mafia had been trying to capture some land at Baganpara, and added that her husband and some others had protested against their attempt.

"The effort of my husband and some others to save the land had infuriated the land mafia. We suspect they tried to kill him,” she said.

Rakhi said they were about to go to bed around 11pm, when three to four persons, who were masked, broke into the house and fired two rounds targeting Saha.

After the bullet hit Saha's right leg, some of the neighbours came out and the attackers fled, his wife added.

The police have started investigations.