Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s niece, Bristy Mukherjee, was found dead at her home in Birbhum district, police said Tuesday. She was the daughter of the Trinamool supremo’s maternal cousin and local TMC leader, Nihar Mukherjee.
The police said the 28-year-old was found hanging by her family members around 10am on Tuesday on the first floor of her Kusumba village-based house in Birbhum.
The body has been sent for an autopsy to the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital, and the Rampurhat police have started an investigation into her death.
A senior police officer of Birbhum district police said, “Primarily it seems to be a suicide case. However, we are considering every ground of unnatural death, and an investigation is being conducted.”
Family says she was battling depression
While the cause of her death is yet to be ascertained, her family said the young woman had been battling depression for the past few years and was receiving medical treatment for the same.
Speaking to mediapersons, her father Nihar Mukherjee said, “She was suffering from depression for the last few years. We took her to a doctor, too. In the morning when she was not coming down from her room, we went up and saw her hanging from the ceiling fan.”
Bristy was also fighting a divorce case with her husband.
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Her mother, Pampa Mukherjee told the media, “Her marriage did not work out. They (her family) frequently sent her back here. We had filed for a divorce. We are shattered now…”
Besides, Bristy Mukherjee was also among those who lost their jobs — as a non-teaching staff member of the Bolpur Upper Primary School — in March 2023 after the Supreme Court scrapped recruitment orders for teachers in state government-aided schools in the alleged ‘cash-for-jobs’ case. Nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staffers were dismissed.
The appointments were initially struck down by the Calcutta High Court and later upheld by the Supreme Court.
While the family had earlier claimed she had resigned from her job on health grounds, it was later revealed that her name had surfaced in the alleged illegal recruitment case.
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The case stems from the alleged 2016 School Service Commission ‘cash-for-jobs’ scam, a major alleged corruption scandal during Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year tenure. Then education minister Partha Chatterjee, party MLAs and senior officials were arrested in the case.
Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas.
Experience & Authority
Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata.
Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects.
Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010.
Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting.
Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University.
Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
Mamata Banerjee’s niece, Bristy Mukherjee (Special arrangement photo/ Image enhanced using AI)
