Missing Adivasi found dead, row erupts at Pingla

PINGLA (WEST MIDNAPORE): The discovery of a 20-year-old Adivasi’s decomposed body in a godown at Birsinghpur in West Midnapore’s Pingla early on Saturday set off a political tussle between BJP and Trinamool.
Stench emanating from the locked godown forced residents to inform police, who reached the spot, broke open the door and recovered the decomposed body. Police detained the owner of the house located beside the godown.
Harmoni Hembram of tribal-dominated Kusumda village, adjoining minority-dominated Birsinghpur, identified the body as that of her son Surya Kanta Hembram. Surya Kanta had been missing for the last four days. Harmoni had lodged a missing diary at Pingla police station.
Alleging that Surya Kanta had been murdered, Adivasi organisation Bharat Jakat Majhi Parganas (BJMP) members protested by blocking Pingla-Mundumari road for an hour from 10am.
BJMP Pingla block president Bablu Murmu said: “We demand immediate arrest and punishment for the culprits. Police should have informed us before recovering the body.”
BJP’s Ghatal president Antara Bhattacharya claimed: “The victim was our party supporter.”
Trinamool’s Pingla block president Sheikh Sabrati, however, said: “The deceased was not a member of any political party.”
West Midnapore SP Dinesh Kumar said: “An investigation is on into the death.”