Bengal: BJP, TMC spar after teen found dead in police station

A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY was found dead inside the toilet of a police station at Mallarpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Thursday night. Police said the teenaged boy was detained in connection with theft cases. Police said primary investigation indicates that he had hanged himself and added that the postmortem report is awaited.

The BJP has alleged that the boy was assaulted “at the behest of TMC” because his parents are BJP supporters. TMC’s Birbhum unit chief Anubrata Mondal, however, issued a statement saying the boy’s parents are not BJP supporters. Later, the boy’s family said that he died by suicide and that they have always supported TMC. “We are not BJP supporters, we have always supported TMC. My son hanged himself inside the police station,” his father told the media.

The BJP has given a call for a 12-hour bandh in Mallarpur on Saturday.

BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said, “The victim’s family members are in fear and under pressure. It shows there is no law and order in the state.”