Skeletal remains believed to be those of BJP worker Astik Chandra Das, who allegedly died after post-poll violence in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali in 2021, were exhumed following a court order, police said on Monday. The remains have been sent for post-mortem and forensic examination to establish the cause of death.
Das, from Jhanjhaniya village in North 24 Parganas district, was allegedly assaulted by Trinamool Congress supporters during a victory procession on the day the results of the 2021 Assembly election were declared, according to a senior police officer cited in the report.
His son, Subrata Das, alleged that the assault caused grievous injuries but that the family was not allowed to take his father to hospital for specialised treatment. He claimed that Das subsequently died at home.
The family also alleged that police personnel were deployed outside their house and that they were forced to bury the body without a post-mortem. After a change in the state government, the family lodged a fresh complaint, following which a court ordered authorities to exhume the body, the police official said.
The exhumation took place on Sunday in the presence of a magistrate and members of the family. Another official from Nazat police station said the entire procedure was videographed. The remains have now been sent for post-mortem and forensic examination, which will determine whether the evidence supports the allegations surrounding Das’s death.
The case places renewed attention on the handling of alleged political violence after the 2021 Assembly election, including the role of local police, access to medical treatment and the preservation of evidence in deaths investigated years after they occurred. The available account does not establish the cause of death or identify anyone as responsible; those questions remain subject to the forensic examination and the investigation.
The family has sought a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, if required, and stringent action against those responsible. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said the case reflected the alleged atrocities faced by BJP workers after the 2021 election. He accused the police of remaining a “silent spectator” during the Trinamool Congress regime and said those responsible would be punished.
Sandeshkhali became a national focus in 2024 after protests by women over allegations of sexual abuse involving local Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh. The latest investigation is separate from those allegations and concerns the death of Das in 2021. The next formal steps are the post-mortem, forensic examination and further investigation by the authorities.
