Promises to keep
Promises matter in elections because voters lack rationality. As election history shows, freebies do get votes. Hitherto, it was a time tested method of electoral success for a desperate opposition.
A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered a second post-mortem examination of the body of Bijoy Krishna Bhunia, the slain BJP booth president from Moyna in East Midnapore district of West Bengal, at the Army-run Command Hospital in Kolkata.
Justice Rajasekhar Mantha passed this order after hearing a petition of the members of the family of the victim demanding the post-mortem of the slain leader’s body be done at any central government-run hospital. The family has alleged that Bhunia was killed by the ruling Trinamool Congress activists.
Bhunia’s body was recovered late Monday, and one post-mortem of his body was done at a state-run hospital.
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While passing his order, Justice Mantha directed the Command Hospital authorities to form a team of specialists for conducting the post-mortem. He also said that two forensic experts would be able to represent the state government at the time of autopsy. If the family members desire, they could also be present at the time of autopsy, Justice Mantha observed.
He directed the Command Hospital authorities to submit the report of the autopsy to the family members of the victim and to the Myona Police Station. He ordered that the body of the victim should be immediately brought to Kolkata from Tamluk Hospital in East Midnapore district.
While ordering central armed forces security cover for the members of the victim’s family for four weeks, Justice Mantha also directed the state government to submit a report to his court by May 8.
On Wednesday, the state government counsel informed the court that Bhunia was killed after being shot on his head. He also said that the state government has no objection to a second-time autopsy of the victim’s body.
Meanwhile, tension, which started at Myona since Wednesday morning over the 12-hour strike called by BJP there in protest against the killing Bhunia, is continuing till afternoon. Sporadic clashes between the police and the agitators have been reported from the area.
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