West Bengal: Sadhu found dead in Birbhum district; BJP alleges ‘political murder’

The body of a village sadhu (monk) was found hanging by the neck from a tree near a Kali temple in the Siuri area of Bengal’s Birbhum district on Sunday morning

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged the death of a village monk, who was found hanging from a tree in Bengal’s Birbhum district, as a “political murder”. Meanwhile, the police, who reached the spot, said they found a suicide note along with the body.

(Representative Photo)

The body of a village sadhu (monk) was found hanging by the neck from a tree near a Kali temple in the Siuri area of Bengal’s Birbhum district on Sunday morning, police said.

“A suicide note was found from the spot along with a gold ring the man used to wear. The body was sent for post-mortem. Some local people alleged that he could have been murdered by someone because of his relationship with a woman who also follows an ascetic life,” a district police officer said on condition of anonymity.

“The woman, who lives in a small room located not far from where the godman used to stay, is being questioned,” the officer added.

The incident has led to a political slugfest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP.

BJP state and national leaders have alleged that the man was killed because of the speech chief minister Mamata Banerjee delivered in Kolkata on Saturday while addressing the Muslim community during Eid.

Amit Malviya, BJP’s national information and technology cell head, wrote on Twitter: “While Mamata Banerjee delivers a provocative communal speech to a Muslim gathering on Eid, urging them to fight imaginary ghosts, an Aghori panth sadhu has been murdered and hung outside Behira Kali Mandir in Birbhum. TMC leaders are involved in the crime…Another day in Bengal.”

Sharing an image of the incident, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar made a similar statement. “While failure CM @mamataofficial made provocative statements from Red Road yesterday, an Aghori Panth Sadhu has been mercilessly murdered & hung outside Behira Kali Mandir in Birbhum. DGP West Bengal & his subservient police force will kowtow since the killers are from TMC,” he wrote on Twitter.

According to the police, the family of the dead monk lives in the Khairasol area of Birbhum. He left home seven years ago and settled down near the Kali temple, they said.

“I’ve been receiving hundreds of calls of Hindu monks and spiritual gurus from across WB; who are distraught with the painful news of the unnatural death of the Aghori panth sadhu,” said Leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari while tagging the home secretary, chief secretary and the director general of police in his tweet.

Responding to the criticism from the BJP, TMC Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen said that it is the BJP’s culture to swoop down like vultures whenever an unnatural death takes place.

“In May 2022, the body of a BJP worker, Arjun Chaurasia, was found hanging in Kolkata’s Cossipore area. Union home minister Amit Shah, who was in the city, visited the site and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. He alleged it was a political murder. Post-mortem examination at the army’s eastern command hospital confirmed that Chaurasia died by suicide,” Sen said slamming the BJP of politicising every issue they come across.