BJP takes out protest rally in Kolkata over death of MLA, seeks CBI probe

The BJP took out a rally in

Kolkata on Monday to protest over the death of its leader Debendra Nath Ray in North Dinajpur district and demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

Ray, the MLA from Hemtabad, was found hanging under mysterious circumstances near in home amid allegations by his family and the party that it was a "cold-blooded murder by TMC", a charge denied by the ruling party.

The BJP took out the rally from its headquarters in central Kolkata's Murlidhar Sen Lane in the afternoon.

Carrying posters and placards, BJP cadres shouted slogans against the TMC government and accused it of unleashing terror across the state.

"We demand CBI inquiry into the incident. The truth must come out," BJP's state vice president Raju Banerjee said.

Ray had contested and won the Hemtabad assembly segment in 2016 -- a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes -- on a CPI(M) ticket but had switched over to the BJP last year after the Lok Sabha polls.

He, however, did not resign as CPI(M) legislator from the state assembly.