Mortal remains of Boroma reach Thakurnagar

The mortal remains of Matua matriarch Binapani Devi, popular as 'Boroma', reached her hometown here in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.

The mortal remains of the Dalit community leader, who passed away late on Tuesday following multi-organ failure at the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, will be consigned to the flames at the Matua Mahasangha headquarters known as 'Thakurbari' here.

"We started with her body at around 8 a.m. and reached Thakurnagar at 11 a.m. Lakhs of followers have gathered here to see their beloved Boroma for the last time," a family member said.

The centurian breathed her last at 8.52 p.m. She is survived by her younger son Manjul Krishna Thakur.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the death and said she will be given a gun salute and state funeral.

Admitted to JNM Hospital in Nadia district on February 28 following shortness of breath and fever, Boroma was shifted to the SSKM on Sunday after her condition deteriorated.

On Tuesday, she was put on ventilator support after her condition became "extremely critical", hospital authorities said.

Boroma was the chief advisor of the Mahasangha, which is considered Bengal's second most influential Scheduled Caste community comprising primarily low-caste Hindu refugees from Bangladesh.

It has over one crore members spread over various southern Bengal districts, especially the North 24 Parganas.

--IANS

mgr/in/bg