The 85-year-old mother of a Bharatiya Janata Party worker in West Bengal, who was allegedly beaten by Trinamool Congress workers last month, died on Monday, The Times of India reported. Her death sparked a bitter exchange between the two parties.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid a tribute to Shova Majumdar, and said that her family’s grief would haunt Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for long. “Anguished over the demise of Bengal’s daughter Shova Majumdar ji, who was brutally beaten by TMC goons,” Shah tweeted. “Bengal will fight for a violence-free tomorrow, Bengal will fight for a safer state for our sisters and mothers.”

BJP National President JP Nadda said Majumdar’s sacrifice will always be remembered. “She lost her life because her son was a BJP worker,” Nadda tweeted. “She was also the mother of Bengal, the daughter of Bengal. BJP will always fight for the safety of mothers and daughters.”

Amit Malviya, the national in-charge of BJP’s information and technology department, alleged that Majumdar was murdered by “blood thirsty goons” of the Trinamool Congress. “Mamata Banerjee and her party have the blood of innocent citizens, women and sisters of Bengal on their hands,” Malviya alleged. “If this doesn’t shock our collective conscience, nothing will.”

Meanwhile, Banerjee hit back at the BJP for accusing her party of killing the elderly woman. “Amit Shah is tweeting and saying Bengal ka kya haal hain [what is the condition of Bengal],” Banerjee said at a rally in Nandigram district. “Why does he remain mum when women are attacked and brutalised in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh?”

The West Bengal chief minister added that she did not know how the woman had died. “We don’t support violence against women,” Banerjee said. “We have never supported violence against sisters and mothers.”

Banerjee alleged that three Trinamool Congress workers had been killed in the last few days. She pointed out that the Election Commission was responsible for the law and order situation in the state, as the Model Code of Conduct was in place.

Trinamool Congress leader Sougata Roy accused the BJP of “unnecessarily trying to cash in on a death”, PTI reported. “Any death is unfortunate and tragic,” he said. “TMC men were not involved in any attack. We have information that she might have died due to old age-related ailments.”

The BJP had shared a video of the woman narrating her ordeal last month. Her face was badly swollen. “Listen to the mother of a BJP karyakarta [worker], Gopal Majumdar of 24 Parganas, who was beaten mercilessly by TMC goons,” the party had said.