West Bengal: Congress Councilor In Jhalda Municipality Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances

The body of a Congress councilor from West Bengal was recovered from her residence in Purulia district’s Jhalda on Saturday. She was found dead late on Friday (October 11).

Purnima Kandu was the councilor from Ward number 12 of Jhalda municipality in Purulia district. She was the widow of late councilor Tapan Kandu, also from the Congress, who was shot dead by unknown assassins in March 2022.

Following her husband’s death, she contested and got elected from the same ward. As per the information available so far, she was at her residence since Friday evening while her other family members went out for Durga Puja festivities.

After they returned home late on Friday, they saw Purnima mother lying down and thought she was unconscious. They immediately took her to the Jhalda block health center where she was declared dead by the doctors.

Her family members said when they left on Friday evening, she was absolutely normal. “She was not suffering from any kind of hardship. So we smell something unnatural in her death. However, the exact reason for the death would be ascertained only after the post-mortem report is available. Until then, no possibility can be ruled out,” said Purulia district Congress president Nepal Mahato.

Her husband Tapan Kandu’s death was probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Initially, a special investigation team (SIT) had started an investigation into the matter. But, it was later handed over to the CBI.

The SIT and CBI had arrested seven persons in the case. The first to be arrested was Tapan’s nephew Deepak Kandu. The trial in the case has started. In such a situation, the recovery of Purnima’s body under mysterious circumstances has created ripples in the political circles.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – IANS)