The body of a man, who the BJP claimed was its worker, was found hanging from a tree in Jamuria of West Burdwan in the early hours of Friday.

The BJP claimed Kiranjan Ghosh, 32, was killed three days ahead of the poll in the area.

Ghosh was a resident of Alinagar village in Pandabeswar. Family members and local BJP leaders claimed Ghosh was killed and hanged to “stage” his suicide.

Terming it a “planned murder”, Jamuria’s BJP candidate Tapas Roy said: “The murder was planned and executed to create panic and discourage voters from going to the polling station. The way the body was hanging indicates he did not commit suicide.”

A team from Pandabeswar police, along with central forces, reached the site of the incident and sent the body for an autopsy.

Debdulal Ghosh, the uncle of the deceased, said: “Kiranjan (Ghosh) went missing since Thursday evening. It is not clear how he died.”

Tension raged on in pockets of Bengal on Friday, with two phases of the elections — and 71 seats between them — yet to be held.

In a separate incident, supporters of Furfura Sharif cleric Abbasuddin Siddiqui's ISF, which is a constituent of the Sanjukta Morcha, along with the Left Front and Congress blocked Taki Road on Friday, demanding the arrest of Trinamul supporters who allegedly attacked Morcha workers in parts of Basirhat subdivision on Thursday.

“We filed many complaints with the district administration and Election Commission, but no action has been taken so far,” said an ISF leader.

Asansol attack

In Asansol’s Barabani, BJP workers were allegedly attacked ahead of a public meeting by Trinamul turncoat Suvendu Adhikari on Friday evening. The BJP leadership claimed armed goons with Trinamul links attacked its party workers and set at least two motorcycles on fire in the Gourandi Hattala area of the town to disrupt the meeting. Trinamul leaders denied the charge.

South Dinajpur clash

At least seven persons got injured as Trinamul and BJP supporters clashed at a village under Harirampur Assembly seat of South Dinajpur on Thursday night.

Leaders of both parties have accused each other of the attack. Among the injured, three persons have been shifted to Malda Medical College and Hospital and are reported to be critical.

On Thursday around 9.45pm, some Trinamul supporters from Kesrail village under Harirampur block were returning home after campaigning when some BJP supporters intercepted them, sources said. Both groups attacked each other with bricks, rods and sticks. Crude bombs were hurled too.

Police said six persons were detained.

In South Dinajpur, polls will be held in six seats in the seventh phase on April 26. In Harirampur, Trinamul’s Biplab Mitra is pitted against the BJP’s Nilanjan Roy.

Additional reporting by Kousik Sen