BJP legislator found dead in north Bengal

KOLKATA/SILIGURI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Debendra Nath Roy, 65, was found hanging with his hands tied near his house in Uttar Dinajpur, north Bengal, on Monday morning. The police said it appeared to be a case of suicide and Roy had left behind a suicide note, but his family and senior BJP leaders alleged that he had been murdered.

BJP leaders demanded a CBI enquiry and called for a 12-hour strike in north Bengal districts starting at 6 am on Tuesday.

A team of BJP leaders also met governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.

“Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide. The victim has left behind a suicide note in which he has named a few persons. They would be questioned. We are exploring all angles,” said Sumit Kumar, superintendent of police of Uttar Dinajpur.

Roy’s body was found hanging in a shop, more than a kilometre from his house in Bindole in Hemtabad. While the noose was tied around his neck with one end of the rope, the other end of the rope was tied to his left hand. The suicide note was found in his pocket, police said.

Family members, including the victim’s wife and his nephew, alleged that Roy went out around 1 am on Monday after someone called him. The family could not identify the person who called, but said that he was riding a motorcycle as they had heard the sound. A few hours later his body was found in a market place.

“I have never heard any person committing a suicide with his hands tied. There was no mud on his feet even though it was a kutcha road and it rained yesterday,” said Chadima Roy, his wife.

“Incident has sent shock waves. Have impressed @MamataOfficial for fair investigation. Police Officials cannot be “law unto themselves” or politically motivated. Inappropriate and demeaning treatment of opposition MPs and leaders by police officials will not be countenanced...,” Dhankhar tweeted.

The BJP leadership including the party president JP Nadda also tagged it as a heinous killing.

“The suspected heinous killing of Debendra Nath Ray, BJP MLA from Hemtabad in West Bengal, is extremely shocking and deplorable. This speaks of the Gunda Raj & failure of law and order in the Mamta govt. People will not forgive such a govt in the future. We strongly condemn this,” Nadda tweeted.

The state government has ordered a probe by the criminal investigation department.

“They have gone mad. They engage in so many encounters ...that they demand a CBI enquiry even in a normal case...,” said Firhad Hakim, senior TMC leader.