Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao was detained after he planned to travel to Nalgonda to meet BJP district president Nagam Varshit Reddy and his family, as political tensions between the ruling Congress and the BJP intensified in the state.

The BJP has alleged a series of attacks involving its offices and party leaders in Hyderabad and Nalgonda and has sought an impartial investigation into the incidents.

BJP alleges attacks in Hyderabad and Nalgonda

BJP leaders submitted a representation to the Telangana Director General of Police, seeking a probe into the alleged attack on the party’s state office in Hyderabad, the Nalgonda district BJP office and the residence of Varshit Reddy.

According to the BJP, Youth Congress activists allegedly attacked its state office. The party also claimed that around 50 people targeted its Nalgonda district office with stones, sticks and other objects.

The BJP further alleged that Varshit Reddy’s residence in Himagiri Colony was ransacked and household items were damaged. It also claimed that his mother was assaulted and injured.

The party additionally alleged that a portrait of Sant Ravidas was smeared with a black substance, saying the incident had hurt the sentiments of the Dalit community. The BJP has sought registration of cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act if an investigation establishes that the law is applicable.

Ramchander Rao detained

The latest political confrontation followed protests by BJP workers at the camp office of Telangana minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy in Nalgonda after the alleged incident at the BJP state office.

Police deployed additional personnel at sensitive locations to prevent further clashes.

Amid the escalating tensions, Ramchander Rao was placed under house arrest in Hyderabad and later detained when he planned to travel to Nalgonda to meet Varshit Reddy and his family.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin criticised the detention and alleged that the administration had remained inactive during attacks on BJP leaders but acted against BJP leaders visiting the alleged victims.

The BJP has demanded preservation of CCTV footage, photographs and videos, identification of those involved and action under applicable laws.

It has also called for a separate investigation into the alleged assault on Varshit Reddy’s mother and the alleged desecration of the Sant Ravidas portrait. The party has sought an impartial probe into allegations involving public representatives, including MLC Shankar Naik, along with adequate security for BJP offices, leaders and workers.

Bristy Mukherjee, the 28-year-old niece of Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was found dead at her residence in Birbhum district on Tuesday, police said.

Mukherjee was found on the second floor of her family home in Kusumba village in the Rampurhat area. The police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Bristy Mukherjee was Mamata Banerjee’s distant cousin’s daughter

Bristy Mukherjee was the daughter of Nihar Mukherjee, who is Mamata Banerjee’s maternal cousin and a regional Trinamool Congress leader.

According to the report, Mukherjee had earlier worked as a non-teaching staff member at Bolpur Upper Primary School. She was among those who lost their jobs following the court proceedings related to the West Bengal school recruitment case.

The appointments of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in state government-aided schools were struck down by the Calcutta High Court, with the Supreme Court later upholding the order.

Police investigation underway

Police said Mukherjee’s body has been sent for an autopsy. An investigation into her death is underway, with authorities expected to establish the circumstances after the post-mortem and other procedural inquiries.

Sources close to the family told that Mukherjee had been undergoing treatment for depression for the past few years.

At this stage, the circumstances and exact cause of her death have not been officially established by the police. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan has received a death threat through an anonymous letter that warned he would be killed by “hardcore terrorists”.

Mr Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party and is the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, has Z-plus security.

The matter has been conveyed to the Union Home Ministry, and Home Minister Amit Shah has also been informed. The threat has additionally been brought to the attention of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Bihar government.

Letter seeks urgent investigation

According to a letter sent to the Home Ministry by Chirag Paswan’s secretary, an unsigned communication containing two mobile phone numbers was received by the ministry.

The letter described the communication as containing a direct threat to the life of the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries.

The message reportedly stated: “You will be killed shortly by hardcore terrorists.”

The letter described the direct nature of the threat and its reference to “hardcore terrorists” as a matter of grave concern, raising concerns about the minister’s safety and security.

It requested that the matter be taken up urgently for investigation and that the minister’s security arrangements be reviewed and scaled up if necessary.

Earlier threats to political leaders

The development comes after other instances of death threats involving prominent political leaders.

In August, a man was arrested in Jharkhand for issuing death threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The man, identified as Alim Ansari, had posted objectionable videos on social media in which he used abusive language against Prime Minister Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Amit Shah, besides issuing death threats.

In 2023, the Delhi Police reported receiving two phone calls from a man threatening to kill Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah and then Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.