Prima facie, BJP MLA's death a suicide case: WB Home Secy

Kolkata: Amid opposition BJP's allegations over the "murder" of party MLA Debendra Nath Ray, West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay on Tuesday said that prima facie it appeared to be a "case of suicide".

Addressing a press meet at the state Secretariat Nabanno, Bandopadhyay said that the state government would take the probe into the matter to its logical end. He said that the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was probing.

"The post-mortem suggests death due to hanging as noted above and is ante-mortem in nature. There was no other injury on his body. After preliminary investigation, the state police is assuming it a case of suicide," he said, while quoting the post-mortem report.

Meanwhile, a 12-hour shutdown was observed in eight northern districts of West Bengal, amid sporadic disruptions by angry BJP supporters.

The shutdown was called to protest against the death of BJP legislator from North Dinajpur's Hemtabad, who was found hanging a few metres from his home near a local market on Monday morning.

According to police sources, BJP activists took out rallies in Malda district and forcibly closed the district head post office. They also staged a sit-in to disrupt regular transport services in the district.

A group of BJP workers staged protests at the depot of North Bengal State Transport Corporation and also blocked the National Highway-34.

Similarly, BJP workers also hit the roads in Cooch Behar district protesting the incident.

Daily transport services were disrupted by BJP supporters at Ghughumari area in the district. As many as three buses were partially ransacked by irate political activists. At least 15 people were arrested in connection with the incident.

A minor clash also took place between BJP activists and Trinamool Congress supporters at Toofanganj in Cooch Behar district, police said.

Ray had joined the BJP in 2019. Earlier, he was elected on a Communist Party of India-Marxist ticket in 2016. The family members of the deceased BJP lawmaker had alleged that Ray was 'murdered' for his political affiliations and demanded a thorough probe into the matter.

In Delhi, the BJP alleged on Tuesday that 'jungle raj' prevailed in West Bengal, after a delegation of senior state party leaders met President Ram Nath Kovind here to demand a CBI probe into the death of Ray.