The body of a BJP worker who succumbed to gunshot injuries at a hospital in Kolkata was sent to Birbhum district, from where he hailed, by the police without the consent of his family, the victim's wife said on Tuesday.
Swarup Garai was shot at during a clash reportedly between the activists of BJP and Trinamool Congress at Ramkrishnapur village under Nanoor police station in Birbhum district on Friday. He was shifted to the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where he died on Sunday.
Garai's wife Chaina said she had on Monday sought permission to take her husband's body from the hospital to the BJP headquarter in the city as per his last wish, but the police turned down her plea saying it could lead to law and order problem.
"They had asked me on Monday to come this (Tuesday) morning and take the body. But when I reached the hospital, I was told that the body was sent to Bolpur and we have to collect it from there. My consent was not taken about this. I am unable to understand why the police did it," she said.
Though the police have been tight-lipped about the incident, Chaina along with BJP leader Anupam Hazra lodged a complaint at Entally police station about the "missing body".
She said the body was sent to Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital late on Monday night by the police and some notices were pasted on the walls of their house in the village that the body would have to be collected from the facility.
Chaina was in Kolkata, and their other family members who were in the village found the notices in the morning.
However, when she reached the morgue of the Bolpur hospital, the authorities sought a letter from the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) to hand over the body.
Following this, BJP workers started a protest demonstration in front of the morgue and put up a road blockade near the hospital.
Discussions started between the SDPO and the BJP leaders in the evening.
Later, Garai's family members said they would not collect the body on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, BJP activists were also demonstrating in front of the office of the district superintendent of police at Suri demanding arrest of those involved in the killing of Garai and the clash at Ramkrishnapur.
Police sources said at least 15 people of both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress camps were arrested in connection with the clash.
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