Slain BJP worker cremated, widow demands CBI probe
Kolkata: The widow of slain BJP worker Swarup Gorai on Wednesday demanded a CBI probe into his killing as the 48-hour tussle between the West Bengal police and the BJP over his body ended with the family taking possession of the corpse and doing the last rites.
On Wednesday, the bereaved family and BJP took possession of the body from the morgue of Bolpur super-specialty hospital in Birbhum district and the mortal remains were consigned to flames at the Katwa crematorium in neighbouring Burdwan.
Gorai’s last journey saw a large turnout of BJP activists who walked in procession with the funeral cortege till the Basapara Crossing in Nanoor from where the body was driven to Katwa.
“My husband was shot dead despite the presence of the police. My husband before his death told me that there should be a CBI probe. I am now demanding a CBI probe,” said the widow.
Expresssing her lack of faith in the state police, she said Gorai was killed despite police being present.
“Then again, my husband lay writhing in pain for one hour after he was shot at. There was no arrangement to take him to a hospital during this time. A police van came only after an hour to take him for treatment.. But I was asked to get out of the vehicle.
“So I don’t have confidence in the police. For the sake of independent probe, I want CBI inquiry,” said the grieving woman.
The district BJP unit, which is holding a sit-in demanding arrest of the killers, has given time till September 15 to the police.
Gorai, an active BJP worker, was shot at by assailants on September 6 in Ramkrishnapur village under Nanoor police station of Birbhum district, with the saffron party blaming the Trinamool for the attack. A grievously injured Gorai died two days later at a city hospital.
Following his death, the family members wanted to take the body to the state BJP headquarters. But the police refused permission, and instead took it to Bolpur super-specialty hospital morgue on Monday night.
Gorai’s family then accused the police of “Stealing” his body and filed a police complaint.
There was chaos on Tuesday too, as the police asked the family to get a written permission from the SDPO, which they refused to take.
