The body of a BJP leader in Gangarampur of South Dinajpur district was found in a deserted field near his village on Wednesday morning, prompting the district party leaders to accuse local Trinamul goons of killing him.

Police suspect Swadhin Roy, 45, a vegetable seller and BJP president of a booth committee in Banspara village of Sukdebpur panchayat, died in an accident. Police recovered the body and sent it for a post-mortem to Balurghat.

“Trinamul supporters have strangled him to death as he was a BJP activist,” said BJP’s Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar. Trinamul district leaders have denied these allegations.

The police have learnt that around 9am, Roy took his motorcycle to Salbari market to procure vegetables, but did not return. Other vegetable sellers on the route found his body on a deserted field with his bike.

“BJP leaders and supporters are facing such attacks and many have been murdered in different parts of the state,” the BJP MP said. “We condemn the attack and want the police to find out the culprits,” he added.

Subhash Chaki, a district coordinator of Trinamul, said the BJP was indulging in cheap politics.

“Any death is unfortunate but BJP leaders these days, are trying to reap political dividends from such incidents. Probe has started and we want the truth,” said Chaki.

South Dinajpur superintendent of police Debarshi Dutta said preliminary probe suggested Roy was drunk.

“We suspect he fell off the bike and died of injuries. We are waiting for the post-mortem report to know the exact cause of death,” Dutta said.