TMC councilor Sanjay Das found hanged at home in Kolkata, police suspect suicide

A 50-year-old Trinamool Congress (TMC) councilor from South Dum Dum municipality on the northern outskirts of Kolkata was found hanged in his room on Saturday, police said.

According to news agency PTI, Sanjay Das, chairman of the council of the civic body, was taken to a local private hospital where he was declared brought dead on arrival.

A case of suicide?

According to PTI, the police said that it prima facie appeared to be a case of suicide, though no note confirming the nature of the incident could be obtained so far.

The police have registered a case of unnatural death at the Nagerbazar local police station.

Police said Das’ body will be handed over to his family after the mandatory post-mortem.

The incident left Das’ followers and friends in a state of shock, many of whom were seen waiting outside the hospital premises after the body was brought there, the report added.

Das lived in the Nagerbazar area of north Kolkata. He represented department number 18 of the municipality.

Sources close to Das told PTI that he had been depressed for the past few days but could not ascertain the reason behind the deceased’s mental condition.

Reacting to the incident, BJP minister Agnimitra Paul said, “I heard that the deceased was close to Debraj Chakraborty (Bidhannagar TMC councilor) and was running the syndicates he was running.

“We do not wish death on anyone. We have said that those in the TMC fold who fear public reaction will be sent home with police protection. But we cannot forgive those who were actively involved in post-election violence and torturing people during the earlier TMC rule in the state,” he said.

Link to Bidhannagar TMC councillor

Das was widely believed to have remained a close associate of Debraj Chakraborty – Bidhannagar TMC councilor and husband of former party MLA Aditi Munshi.

On Friday, the couple approached the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a disproportionate assets case filed by the Bidhannagar city police, PTI reported.

Earlier, Chakraborty was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged recruitment scam at the primary level in government schools.

Several TMC councilors, who are believed to be close associates of Chakraborty, have been arrested in recent days in cases related to extortion, assault and intimidation.

Former TMC minister Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 11 in connection with the alleged South Dum Dum Municipality recruitment scam and slapped with a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.

The former chairman of the TMC-run civic body, Panchu Roy, was also questioned by the ED in connection with the alleged recruitment irregularities.

(With input from agencies)