The body of a 40-year-old BJP booth committee president was found hanging from a forest area in South Dinajpur on Tuesday.

Deceased Samir Pahan’s family members and BJP leaders, including the party’s state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar who is also from the same district, alleged he was murdered and hanged by Trinamul. The state’s ruling party has denied the allegation.

Police have recovered the body and are probing the case.

Sources said that Pahan, a resident of Kalaibari in Bhatpara panchayat of Balurghat block, had been missing since February 18.

On Tuesday morning, his body was found in Namdanga forest area of the same block located near his village.

As the news spread, a team from Balurghat police station reached the spot and recovered the body. “We are probing the case and waiting for post-mortem reports to know the cause of his death,” said a police officer.

“Another murder of BJP Karyakarta Samir Pahan by TMC goons in village Kalaibari, Balurghat, WB. His body is found hanging from a tree. There is no law and order in the state. Didi wants to suppress the voice of youths by violence and murder. This will never happen,” Majumdar tweeted.

Trinamul leaders denied the charge.

“It is an unfortunate incident. We don’t know how he died but Trinamul is not involved in it. Some people are trying to politicise the case,” said Subhash Chaki, the district coordinator of Trinamul in South Dinajpur.

Boy held with firearm, cartridges

Malda: An 18-year-old school student has been arrested in Malda on Sunday night and a firearm and a live cartridge have been recovered from him.

Police sources said he is a class XII student at a school located under Kaliachak police station.

The boy was found loitering at Sheikhpura under Manikchak police station. A police team questioned him. As his replies were found to be incongruous, they searched him and found an improvised firearm and one round of live cartridge in his possession.