A Trinamool Congress (TMC) ward councilor of South Dum Dum municipality in North 24 Parganas was found dead in his residence on Saturday morning, police said, suspecting suicide.
“Police have started an investigation. Prima facie it appears that he died by suicide,” a police officer said.
South Dum Dum municipality under the TMC-regime came under scanner for an alleged recruitment irregularity case. It is being probed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) along with other civic bodies across West Bengal.
On May 11, a week after the results of the state assembly elections were announced and the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, the ED arrested Sujit Bose, former state fire minister and the vice-chairman of South Dum Dum municipality in 2016 when the irregularities took place.
The agency also questioned former state food minister Rathin Ghosh in connection with the case.
The deceased was known to be a close associate of Debraj Chakraborty, a TMC councilor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and also the husband of former TMC legislator Aditi Munshi. Both Munshi and Chakraborty on Thursday moved the Calcutta high court seeking anticipatory bail in a case related to disproportionate assets after a first information report (FIR) was registered against them.
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Several TMC leaders have been arrested on charges of corruption, cheating and extortion after the BJP came to power in the state ousting the 15-year-old TMC regime.
TMC leaders rushed to the ward councillor’s residence after the incident.
“It is an unfortunate incident. As far as we know he didn’t receive any summon from any investigating agency to appear for questioning. Police are investigating. Of late some posters had come up in the neighbourhood…false implicating him in some cases. Some persons were demanding money from him and he was being pressurised and blackmailed,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC legislator said.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000; ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290
