Thousands of Trinamool Congress supporters on Saturday laid siege to the Dhaniakhali police station in Hooghly district, alleging that local leader Kazi Nasiruddin died of torture in police custody.
The irate mob also threw stones and bricks at policemen. The police had to resort to tear gas and lathi charge to disperse the crowd. A huge contingent of police personnel, including higher officers, were at the spot to defuse tension.
Though the police denied the allegation, locals said Nasiruddin was picked by the police from his house at Dhaniakhali on Friday night and beaten to death in custody.
“Nasiruddin was found lying on the roadside in an injured condition. The police rescued him and he was being taken to hospital, but he died on the way,” a senior officer at the Dhaniakhali police station said.
“We have received a first information report about the death of Kazi Nasiruddin while in custody under the Dhaniakhali police station and have initiated an investigation according to the guidelines of the Human Rights Commission,” said Tanmay Roychaudhury, SP, Hooghly district.
“A few policemen were injured as the locals threw stones at them. The situation is under control now. The cause of the death can be ascertained after post-mortem.”
Describing Nasiruddin’s death as a “pre-conceived murder,” Congress spokesperson Abdul Mannan said: “Nasiruddin was disenchanted with the Trinamool Congress and was thinking of quitting the party. He was killed by his own party men.”
Refuting the charges, Trinamool Congress MLA Ashima Patra said: “Nasiruddin was our active member and a very good worker. We had no differences with him. We have told the administration to look into the matter with all seriousness.”