Body of Bengali BJP worker exhumed in Sandeshkhali five years after death in post-election violence
The skeletal remains of a BJP worker who was allegedly killed in West Bengal’s 2021 post-election violence in Sandeshkhali have been exhumed on a court order, a senior police officer said on Monday (Sep 14, 2026).
Astik Chandra Das of Jhanjhaniya village was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress supporters in a victory parade on the day the 2021 assembly election results were announced, an official said.
His son Subrata Das claimed that the assault caused severe injuries and they were not allowed to take his father to hospital for specialist treatment and the man died at home.
The family also alleged that police personnel were deployed outside their house and that they were forced to bury the body, that too without an autopsy.
After the change of guard in the state, the family filed a fresh complaint and the court ordered the authorities to exhume the body, a police official said.
The skeletal remains were exhumed on Sunday (September 13, 2026) in the presence of the municipality and the family, he said.
Another official of the Nazat police station said the entire procedure was recorded on video and the remains were sent for post-mortem and forensic examination to determine the cause of death.
The family has requested the CBI for a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible for the death if necessary.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said the incident was indicative of the atrocities faced by BJP workers after the 2021 assembly elections in which the TMC registered a landslide victory.
“The police remained a silent spectator during the TMC regime that reigned terror. We know that justice will prevail and those behind will be severely punished,” he said.
Sandeshkhali, a village in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, made national headlines in 2024 after protests against allegations of sexual abuse by multiple women against local TMC strongman Shajahan Shiekh.
Published – 14 Sep 2026 11:58 IST