Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), alleged on Sunday that the father of a volunteer attached to his party died after he was attacked at his home in West Bengal’s Bankura district on Saturday. Dipke claimed the family was targeted after the volunteer raised concerns over the condition of a government school.

As per reports, CJP volunteer Shaik Abdul Hafeez (25), had been participating in the party’s recently-launched ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign, aimed at encouraging citizens to visit government schools, assess their condition and underline shortcomings. 

Hafeez reportedly inspected a government school in his village in Bankura district’s Karisunda area on August 13. Dipke alleged that later that evening, unidentified men, whom he claimed were likely linked to the BJP, barged into the family’s home. 

Hafeez’s father, Janab Mafik, was assaulted and sustained grievous injuries to his head. He died soon after. 

Dipke demands immediate arrest of accused

Reacting to the incident, Dipke said the CJP stood firmly with Hafeez and his family and demanded the immediate arrest of the ones responsible for his father’s death. 

The CJP founder added that a party team would travel to West Bengal to support the family and help them pursue justice by means of legal recourse. Dipke also issued a strong warning to the ones allegedly behind the attack, saying the party would not be intimidated or silenced by violence, threats or attacks against its members. 

He went on to say that such incidents would not deter the CJP from pursuing its campaign for better facilities at government schools, adding that the party would instead ‘fight harder’ and continue raising issues concerning public education.