BJP booth president’s murder: Calcutta HC orders second post-mortem

During a hearing, Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed that the post-mortem be conducted at Army’s Command Hospital in Kolkata, which falls under the Defence Ministry, and that the state government submit a report to the court by Monday. The court also ordered that the entire process be videograped.

It directed the hospital to constitute a team which will include two forensic experts of the West Bengal government. Justice Mantha also ordered that the body be brought from Moyna to the hospital by the state government, and that the family be allowed to see it.

The court directed that central forces be deployed to provide security to the family for four weeks.

Advocate and BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal, who was present at the court during the hearing, said, “The police will conduct the investigation. The family had moved the court since they were not satisfied with the hastily done post-mortem.” She said the second post-mortem will have to be conducted within 72 hours.

The BJP has alleged Bhunia was beaten up by TMC goons in front of his wife on Monday evening before being forcibly taken away on a motorbike. According to the police, his body was found later that night some distance from his residence.

While the BJP demanded a CBI probe, the TMC claimed the killing was the outcome of a family dispute.

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar visited Bhunia’s family on Wednesday and handed them a cheque of Rs 5 lakh. “He was the only earning member, so we decided to help the family. We have no faith in the state police. We welcome the court order; it also shows that the court has no faith or confidence in the state police,” said Majumdar.

The victim’s wife, Lakshmi, said: “We want a CBI investigation as we have no faith in the state police. If they had helped my husband, he could have survived.”

BJP workers put up road blockades in several parts of the district to enforce a 12-hour bandh. Former cricketer and BJP leader Ashok Dinda, the MLA from Moyna assembly constituency, said: “We are on the roads to mark our protest against the killing.”

According to the police, the bandh was by and large peaceful and normal life was not hit, despite some incidents of shops being forcibly closed by BJP workers.

A senior police officer said that one person was arrested and another detained for allegedly forcing people from going about their normal life.