Political rivalry alleged over death of infant at Ashoknagar

Kolkata: A two-month-old baby died after she was hit on her chest while getting fed by her mother on Monday at Ashoknagar in North 24-Parganas.

According to sources, Sikha Ganguly, a housewife at Keosa village in Ashoknagar, used to support Trinamool. Her husband Rabi Ganguly lives outside Bengal. It has been alleged that her in-laws, who are BJP supporters, used to put pressure on her to support the saffron party. Her elder brother in-law Sushanta Ganguly is a local BJP leader, who allegedly tried to force her to fight in the last Panchayat elections for BJP.

According to Sikha's allegations, she was being tortured almost regularly as she refused to support BJP. On Saturday afternoon, when she was breastfeeding her two-month-old daughter, her in-laws allegedly attacked her. While Sikha was being beaten up, the baby accidentally fell from her hands and was grievously injured.

Immediately, the infant was rushed to Habra Hospital where the attending doctor declared the baby brought dead. Despite Sikha's allegation, local BJP leadership denied the political angle and called the incident a family dispute. After the death of the infant, a case has been lodged and Sushanta has been arrested. According to police, no political angle has been found yet. "It is suspected that there might have been some dispute within the family. If any other angle is there, it will be revealed during further probe," said a senior official of Barasat Police District.