The body of a BJP worker was found in a pond at Fakirbera village in Birbhum’s Dubrajpur on Tuesday morning, the incident triggerring violence against the police and a daylong roadblock by around 200 BJP workers.

Sub-inspector Dipak Roy was injured in the clash between the police and BJP supporters.

The body of Pratihar Dom, 38, floating in a pond, was seen by passers-by around 8am, following which police were called up. Sources said Dom’s body had visible strangulation marks and blunt injury impressions on the back of his head.

“The police responded quickly, but villagers got angry when cops tried to take away the body without due diligence and people saw in it an attempt to hush up an incident that clearly looked like murder,” said a resident.

He added BJP supporters felt the police were acting as “Trinamul agents” at a politically sensitive time amid state elections.

Eyewitnesses said the police and ambulance sped away with Dom’s body but were stopped by angry protesters less than 4km away. The mob of BJP supporters then proceeded to smash the ambulance.

“Dom was murdered for being an active BJP worker in the area. To make matters worse, the police were trying their best to deprive us of justice and were using force against us when all we are asking for is justice,” said a protester on Tuesday afternoon.

Police teams from Dubrajpur rushed to the site where the ambulance had been attacked and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

“This angered us further,” said a protester, explaining the circumstances that led to the attack on police sub-inspector Dipak Roy, who was injured in the clash between BJP supporters and cops.

BJP supporters then blocked a nearby road with Dom’s body and refused to lift the blockade despite police intervention.

“We won’t budge till the perpetrators of the murder are brought to justice,” a protester said in the afternoon.

BJP district president Dhruba Saha joined the agitation around 5pm and concurred the police were “siding” with Trinamul. “They are trying to turn this situation around by accusing us of being violent,” he said.

Police sources said two separate cases had started on Tuesday, one in connection with the alleged murder and one in connection with the sub inspector’s assault. One person was reportedly arrested later in the day in connection with the former.

The roadblock finally lifted around 7pm.

District president of the Trinamul, Anubrata Mondal, said he was “unsure” of the circumstances behind the alleged murder.

“Police are investigating, it is their job. But Trinamul has no links to this. Unfortunately, the BJP are proving their penchant for playing politics whenever there is a dead body,” he added.

SP Meeraj Khalid in the evening said they were probing both cases and one person had been arrested.