Prime accused in Bengal Congress leader's murder dies in judicial custody

The prime accused in the murder of Congress councillor Tapan Kandu in West Bengal's Purulia in March last year, died in judicial custody at a correctional home in Purulia on Sunday evening.

As per information available from the state Correctional Department sources, Satyaban Pramanik started feeling uneasy since Sunday afternoon at the correctional home there.

He was immediately shifted to Purulia Medical College and & Hospital and died there soon.

Since the matter of investigation on Kandu’s murder is still under the jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), district police authorities have not given any official comment in the matter.

District police sources said that his body will be sent for post mortem and once the autopsy report is available the exact reason of death can be ascertained.

In April last year, Niranjan Baishnab, a prime witness in the Tapan Kandu murder case, died under mysterious circumstances at his residence. A suicide note was recovered wherein Baishnab had written that he took the drastic step as he was unable to bear the pressure from the local police following the murder of Kandu.

On March 13 last year, Kandu was shot dead while he was on an evening walk with his wife, Purnima Kandu and Baishnab was also accompanying them. The CBI started a probe in the matter following an order of the Calcutta High Court.