BJP accuses TMC of 'hassling' with deceased party worker's family as police hand over body

As major chaos erupted at Kolkata’s NRS Medical College and Hospital on Thursday afternoon when the police handed over the body of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Abhijit Sarkar to his family, party leader Tathagata Roy slammed state security for 'hassling' the deceased's family. Roy also highlighted that the family received Sarkar's corpse out of NRS Hospital morgue four months after approaching the High Court. Abhijit Sarkar was allegedly killed on May 2, shortly after results of post-poll violence were announced. 

The BJP, since the beginning, has alleged Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the murder. 

BJP leaders pay last respects

West Bengal BJP leaders including Dilip Ghosh paid their respects to the late party worker on Thursday as his body was handed over to the family.

"BJP members pay respects to party worker Abhijit Sarkar, a victim of post-poll violence, whose body was handed to his family after 4 months. Many such incidents can happen. It's important to pay respects to our worker who lost his life," Ghosh told ANI.

Ghosh further alleged that the reason why it took 4-month to hand over the body was to remove evidence. 

West Bengal BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar's death

Shortly after the results of the West Bengal Assembly Elections were declared where Mamata Banerjee-led TMC emerged victorious on May 2, reports of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar's death at the capital came out. Later, the BJP blamed the ruling TMC for the brutal murder of Sarkar. The victim was allegedly strangled to death with a television cable. 

The Calcutta High Court on August 19 had ordered a second autopsy report and DNA report of Sarkar to the CBI. The court had earlier ordered a DNA test on the body after Sarkar’s family could not identify it. NHRC’s interim report, which said Sarkar’s body was lying in the mortuary as the family was demanding a second autopsy, but the police and the Bengal administration had denied doing so. Meanwhile, Sarkar was the only one who was killed in Kolkata after poll results were declared, reports of brutal killings emerged from other districts. 

Currently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing Sarkar’s death along with the other cases as ordered by the Calcutta high court.