The widow of a BJP worker who was allegedly shot by TMC goons last Friday has accused West Bengal police of ‘stealing’ the deceased’s body to prevent her from taking it to the party’s headquarters in deference to his last wish.
The BJP cadre was allegedly shot by West Bengal’s ruling party supporters in Birbhum district on September 6 (Friday). Swarup Gorai succumbed to his injuries on September 8 (Sunday) night. His body was later taken to NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata for post mortem.
Swarup Gorai, a BJP worker from BIrbhum has breathed his last. TMC goons shot him and he was fighting for his life for the last 2 days. The fight for democracy is getting into the final stages in West Bengal. Martyr no. 78. pic.twitter.com/H9h2656wSv
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) September 8, 2019
On September 10 (Tuesday), his widow China Gorai lodged complaints against hospital authorities and West Bengal police for taking the body to Birbhum while keeping her in the dark.
BJP state leaders also decided to move court on Wednesday, alleging the police took the body only to prevent them from taking it to the state BJP office.
The day after Swarup Gorai passed away, his wife wanted to take the deceased’s body from the hospital to the BJP office before proceeding to their village. However, the WB police were so apprehensive about the law and order situation that they insisted that the body be taken directly to Birbhum. With neither China nor the BJP agreeing to the suggestion, the police allegedly asked them to collect the body in the morning.
After Gorai’s family members and BJP leaders left the hospital, the police allegedly took the body to Birbhum district that night. They kept it at Bolpur sub-divisional hospital and informed the deceased’s family members to take possession of it.
The police apparently stuck an appeal on the BJP worker’s house in Birbhum urging the family member’s to take the body for cremation. However, after Gorai’s family members tore up the paper the police pasted the appeal at several prominent spots in the area including the local bus stand.
On Tuesday morning when Gorai’s wife along with few BJP worker’s reached NRS hospital to take possession of the body, the hospital authorities informed them that the body was taken to Birbhum district the previous night.
China Gorai and BJP worker’s then lodged a complaint with the hospital’s deputy superintendent Dwaipayan Biswas who acknowledged the complaint.
“I was supposed to take the body at 7 am. They told me last evening that I should come to take it this morning. But when I came here I was told that the body has been taken to Nanoor. But I was not informed. How was the body handed over to the police without my consent? They (the police) stole my husband’s body,” said China Gorai.
Meanwhile, the head of BJP Yuva Morcha in the state, Debjit Sarkar said: “The wife of the deceased has said that her husband’s body would be handed over at 7 am on Tuesday. But when she came here, the body was not there.”
From the hospital, the deceased’s wife along with BJP workers namely, former Lok Sabha MP Anupam Hazra, state unit vice-president Biswapriya Roy Chowdhury and BJP Yuva Morcha chief Debjit Sarkar went to Entally police station to lodge a police complaint.
The BJP workers claimed that the police were initially reluctant to lodge a complaint but eventually agreed after being pressurized by their lawyers. “Initially the police were reluctant to accept the complaint but when insisted by our lawyers present there, they accepted it. We will move Calcutta High Court on Wednesday or Thursday against the role of the police,” said Roy Chowdhury.
“How could the hospital authorities hand over the body to the police? The police actually stole the body,” said Roy Chowdhury.
Political violence continues to rock West Bengal with BJP cadres facing the ire of the ruling party under the behest of party chief Mamata Banerjee. BJP has claimed that with Swarup Gorai, being the latest target, the total number of BJP workers in the state who have buckled under Mamata’s pressure has gone up to 78.
