Raju Jha, a Durgapur-based businessman, and BJP leader, was shot dead by two unknown assailants at Shaktigarh in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman last evening. Two others accompanying the politician were also injured in the attack. All three were taken to a local hospital where Raju Jha was pronounced dead.
West Bengal | BJP leader Raju Jha was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Shaktigarh of Purba Bardhaman
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2023
It is an unfortunate incident and an investigation is being done: Kamanasish Sen, SP Purba Bardhaman pic.twitter.com/uYnrnVRZ7w
The injured are currently undergoing medical treatment. Brathin Mukherjee, one of the persons accompanying Raju Jha, is in critical condition.
Raju Jha aka Rakesh stopped at the Amra sweet shop near the Shaktigarh police station on his way home when the anonymous assailants arrived and started firing indiscriminately at him, causing a stampede. Five rounds reportedly struck Jha.
According to the police, Jha was allegedly waiting in his automobile outside the store when the two perpetrators pulled up in a car. One of the accused broke the windscreen of Jha’s vehicle with a rod, and the other started shooting at him.
According to eyewitnesses, Raju Jha and two acquaintances were seated in a white Fortuner and the gunmen were in a blue car. He was sitting in the front, next to the driver’s seat.
Senior police officials have examined the incident spot. Superintendent of Police (SP) Bardhaman, Kamanasish Sen informed that the motive behind the killing is not ascertained yet and efforts are being made to identify the accused
Raju Jha had ties to the coal and hotel businesses. Before the December 2021 assembly elections, Raju Das joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of the then state party president, Dilip Ghosh.
