Panchayat samity sabhapati suspended, injured youth dies

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Sabhapati of English Bazar Panchayat Samity Pabitra Roy was suspended from the party on Monday after he was arrested on charges of killing a 19-year-old youth and a class IX student.

On Sunday, Roy had allegedly opened fire from his car when local people gheraoed his vehicle following a road accident at Baghbari Kulipara in Malda.

Roy was remanded in police custody for three days after being produced before the Malda Court on Monday afternoon. He was arrested on Sunday evening following agitation by the local people. He has been booked under sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. Roy’s fire arm has also been seized. It is learnt that few weeks ago he got the licence to buy a gun. 

The suspended TMC leader opened fire when some local people had gheraoed his car. Two youths had received bullet injuries. Asim Mondal (19) had received bullet injuries on his head and a class IX student Rahul Paswan was also injured. Mondal was declared brought dead when taken to Malda Medical College while Paswan died on way to Kolkata as doctors had advised to shift him to a better hospital in the city after his condition deteriorated. 

The situation at English Bazar was tensed on Monday as well. Local people and relatives of the victims put up a road block demanding proper punishment of Roy. They even burnt his effigy. The sit-in-demonstration continued for around an hour at Baghbari.  

Many supporters of Roy had gathered in the court premises. A huge contingent of police was deployed outside the court to avoid any untoward incident.  Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’ Brien today said that he has been suspended from the party. It is learnt that other senior party leaders too maintained that law will take its own course.