The West Bengal Police on Tuesday, 8 December, stated that the postmortem report of Bengal BJP worker Ulen Roy indicates that he died “due to the effects of shotgun injuries”. Roy was found dead during the party’s protest programme in West Bengal’s Siliguri on Monday, 7 December.
“Police do not use shotguns. It’s obvious that during yesterday’s protest in Siliguri, armed persons were brought and they fired from firearms,” ANI quoted West Bengal police as saying.
Soon after the postmortem report was out, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jalpaiguri, ordered a second autopsy in the presence of three doctors.
Roy’s family alleges the autopsy was not conducted impartially. His sister Shantibala Roy raised the questions and applied to the court for a second autopsy. The court granted the application on Tuesday, reported a Bengali daily.
Jalpaiguri BJP MP Jayant Roy also alleged that the autopsy was carried out in defiance of the Supreme Court order. He raised the question on why the autopsy was done after 1 am? Jayant said a three-member medical team has been formed under the direction of the High Court to conduct an autopsy on Ulen’s body.
Clashes erupted between the BJP supporters and West Bengal police on Monday, 7 December, in at least four places in Siliguri, including Tinbatti intersection and Phoolbari Bazar, over a protest march towards Uttarkanya, a Mini-Secretariat building in north Bengal.
‘Mala fide Intention to Create Violence’: WB Police
The West Bengal police stated that the worker was shot and injured from close range by a person standing near the deceased in the protest programme.
“There was a mala fide intention to create violence by the use of firearms,” ANI quoted the West Bengal Police.
The police further mentioned that the West Bengal CID has been asked to investigate the case.
“Truth will come out and strong action will be taken against all those who planned and executed the heinous crime,” the West Bengal Police said.
Mamata Banerjee Denies BJP’s Claim
However, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee denied the BJP’s claim and said that she has seen the post-mortem report.
“As per the report, death was due to shotgun injuries but the police don't use shotguns,” ANI quoted Banerjee as saying.
Roy was shot and was seriously injured in the Uttarkanya operation on Monday. He died at the hospital.
Although police dismissed the allegations in a counter-statement, only water cannons and tear gas were used. No firearms were used.
The incident occurred when BJP supporters reportedly tried to break through barricades and threw stones at police, which used water cannons and tear gas in a bid to disperse them.
The BJP had called for a 12-hour bandh in north Bengal on Tuesday, 8 December, over the party worker’s death.
“Today, in Siliguri, serious acts of violence committed by supporters of a political party during their protest. Only water cannons and tear gas used to disperse violent crowd. Death of a person has been reported. Actual cause of death will be known only after postmortem,” the West Bengal Police said, reported ANI.
BJP Leaders Participate in Protest March
BJP state unit President Dilip Ghosh said: "One of our party workers was injured in the baton charge and he died in hospital. Deceased Ulen Roy, 50, was a resident of Jalpaiguri's Gajoldoba area."
Ghosh led a big rally to Fulbari Bazar – one of the two points to approach the Mini-Secretariat building.
The protest march, as part of the 'Uttarkanya Abhijan', was organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) against the alleged misrule of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and not fulfilling the promises made to the people of north Bengal.
BJP national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, national Secretary Arvind Menon and several others also participated in the protest march.
Earlier, activists of BJP's youth wing had also organised a protest march 'Nabanna Chalo' (March to Nabanna) programme, to voice issues ranging from unemployment to "deteriorating" law and order in Bengal.
(With inputs from IANS, ANI)
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