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    Purulia death: Three weeks after BJP worker Dulal Kumar’s body found, police lodges fresh murder case

    Synopsis

    Kumar’s body was found hanging from a high voltage electric tower in Purulia on June 2. Within hours of the incident, the then superintendent of police, Joy Biswas, had stated that it was suicide.

    BJPAgencies
    The fresh FIR was lodged 20 days after the incident and five days before BJP’s national president Amit Shah’s visit to Purulia.
    Purulia police authorities have initiated a case of abduction and murder into the death of BJP worker Dulal Kumar (32), three weeks after the police had recorded it as a suicide.

    Kumar’s body was found hanging from a high voltage electric tower in Purulia on June 2. Within hours of the incident, the then superintendent of police, Joy Biswas, had stated that it was suicide and recorded it as a case of unnatural death (UD). On June 11, ET had reported that preliminary probe into the death of Kumar was closed in a matter of one hour and ten minutes.

    However, on June 21, the police lodged an FIR against six villagers, whose names were mentioned in the complaint lodged by Dulal Kumar’s elder brother Krishnapada Kumar on June 3.

    According to the FIR, a copy of which is with ET, a case has been initiated under sections 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 302 (murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

    The FIR also said, “No primary evidence of murder is in hand. Post-mortem report shows that the incident is suicidal. However, the concerned officer is directed to tag the complaint with unnatural death case for further inquiry and action.”

    Following a memo by deputy SP, Manik Lal Karfa, Balarampur police station registered a case. “I am forwarding herewith the complaint of one Krishnapada Kumar of Balarampur, Purulia, which was found tagged with the UD case of Balarampur for starting a specific case under proper section of law.”

    The fresh FIR was lodged 20 days after the incident and five days before BJP’s national president Amit Shah’s visit to Purulia.

    Akash Magharia, SP, Purulia, confirmed that a case of abduction and murder has been initiated against the accused. “The case is still with the CID,” he added. After taking charge on June 3, Magharia, also claimed that it was a case of suicide, citing the post-mortem report.

    A senior CID official told ET that a ‘murder case’ has been initiated. “Even though, we started a murder case, it might not necessarily change the outcome. We already have a conclusive post-mortem report indicating it as a suicide,” added the official.

    Speaking to ET, Priyanka Tibrewal, advocate of the victim’s family said, “We had sent a letter to the concerned SP and senior officials under section 153 of CrPc asking for details of the case, post-mortem report and other documents following which we would have filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court. But, if the police starts a murder case after three weeks of the incident, I have more reasons to say that CID, under the influence of the TMC government, is trying to manipulate the case. Without any evidence, they called it suicide. So, now what forced them to start a murder case? Isn’t it a mystery?”


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