WB BJP leader alleges custodial death of partyworker, demands magistrate probe

BJP district secretary Raju Roy has alleged that a party worker died in police custody here due to torture and demanded a magistrate probe into the incident.

The deceased identified as Ram Prasad Barui, was admitted to Cooch Behar government medical college late on Sunday night, where he died early on Monday morning.

"Police had arrested a BJP worker on December 21 in connection with a false case. He had been in jail since. Today, out of nowhere, we found out that he has died. We believe that he was tortured by the police following which he died," Roy said here on Monday.

He said that Barui had died in police custody but the police brought him to the hospital to avoid blame.

"On behalf of BJP, we demand that the incident is probed by a magistrate. He (Barui) was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night. Around 1.25 am on Monday he was shifted to critical care unit after which he died at around 5 am," Roy said.

BJP has on several occasions accused the TMC-led state government, police and TMC workers of targetting its activists.