Kolkata: Raiganj in North Dinajpur has been on the boil following the death of a presiding officer of the panchayat election under mysterious circumstances during the polling on May 14.
Angry poll personnel demonstrated at Ghorimore since Wednesday morning while blocking road. Later, Siliguri More was also blocked by the protesters.
According to them, Raj Kumar Roy, the presiding officer, was murdered. They demanded the deployment of the Central paramilitary forces during the repoll, which was scheduled during the day, and arrest of the culprits. They also assaulted sub division officer T N Sherpa who went to the spot in the afternoon.
The demonstrators poured water on him and hurled shoes to him also. Mr Sherpa said, “I have come here to listen to them.” But the furious group did not pay heed to him. The deceased was a resident of Sudarshanpur at Raiganj. He was a teacher of Karandighi Rahatpur High School.
For the Panchayat polls he was assigned as the presiding officer at a polling booth (no 84) located in Sonarpur Primary School in Itahar of the district. Roy left home on May 13 night. His family members said that they were in touched with him till May 14 afternoon. Roy however went reportedly missing after 2 pm.
His family members alleged that he was abducted before he was hacked to death. They claimed that when they contacted block development officer (Itahar) Raju Lama after failing to contact Roy, they were told that the presiding officer was at the booth till 8 pm on May 14.
On Tuesday afternoon Mr Lama lodged a missing diary at the Itahar police station. At around 8.30 pm Roy’s body with multiple injuries were recovered beside the railway tracks at Sonadangi. A section of the district administration floated a theory that Roy had committed suicide which has been rejected by his family and other poll personnel.
According to the police, the tower location of Roy’s cellphone however indicated that he was at Collegepara area in Raiganj till 3.24 pm on May 14. The booth where he was posted did not witness any violence, the police claimed. Contradicting versions only shrouded the mystery about Roy’s death.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “A teacher from Raiganj had poll-duty at Itahar. The booth he was assigned to was attacked by the miscreants. He tried to prevent them. He however could not be found after the trouble. The body was found on Tuesday evening. The government is not bothered that he was missing for two days.”
He added, The SDO is not bothered also. People turned angry and beat him. A largescale demonstration is underway at Raiganj. No one was safe. Polling was held peacefully nowhere.”
