The body of Maidul Islam Midya being taken to his home town in Bankura from Kolkata on Monday. (Express Photo by Partha Paul) DYFI worker Maidul Islam Midya, who was injured in a clash between Left workers and the police during a march to the Nabanna state secretariat in Kolkata on February 11, died on Monday, triggering a war of words between the TMC and Left parties.
While the CPI (M) called Midya’s death a “murder”, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences and promised to provide job and financial support to his family.
A resident of a resident of Katulpur of Bankura district, Midya (31) was an autorickshaw driver and is survived by his mother, wife and two daughters.
A scuffle broke out between workers of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), CPI (M)’s student and youth wings, and the police after they were denied permission to take out a procession with Midya’s body in Kolkata. Several policemen were injured as SFI and DYFI vandalised properties and blocked roads in Kolkata.
Left leaders said Midya was severely beaten up by the police and suffered injuries to the head on February 11. He was first admitted to a private nursing home nearby and was later shifted to another nursing home after his condition deteriorated on Sunday night. Kolkata Police said the exact cause of the death would be known after the postmortem report.
One of the doctors who treated the DYFI worker said he died due to abnormal functioning of his kidneys and poor vital parameters.
CPI(M) leader Fuad Halim said the reason for the death could be “kidney failure following excessive assault on muscles”. Dr Halim, who runs the clinic where the DYFI worker was first admitted, said there was “little doubt that he died because of the injuries sustained in the police action”.
“He died due to the police brutality,” said Srijan Bhattacharya, the state unit president of SFI.
Leader of the Left Legislature Party in the Assembly and CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty said, “The police murdered Midya. We want a proper investigation into this murder…His only fault was that he participated in a democratic movement. Hundreds of students were injured in the police action.”
The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Abdul Mannan said Miday was “killed mercilessly” and vowed that “his blood will not go waste”.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was ready to provide money and a job to the deceased’s family after the postmortem. “Any death is painful. I have had a conversation with them (family) and said that the death is painful, After the postmortem report, I am ready to provide a job and money to their family,” she said.
Left leaders also approached the State Human Rights Commission for their intervention.
The Kolkata Police has initiated a probe led by the joint commissioner of police (headquarters) and the joint commissioner of police (Crime).
The February 11 march, called Nabanna Obhijan, was led by the student and youth wings of Left and Congress to protest against the state government over the alleged lack of employment in West Bengal. Several protesters were injured after the police carried out lathicharge and fired tear gas shells to restrict them from reaching the secretariat.
The following day, the Left and the Congress observed a statewide 12-hour bandh against the police “brutality”.