Kin seeks CBI probe for Congress leader Purnima Kandu’s death

Representative Picture (IANS)


Mithun Kandu, nephew of Purnima Kandu, the Congress councillor of Jhalda Municipality has alleged that she was killed after poison was mixed in her food and has demanded a CBI probe.

The post-mortem of Purnima Kandu has been conducted at Deben Mahato Medical College Hospital in Purulia today amidst tight security. She was in good health till the morning, relatives claimed.

Her husband, slain Congress councillor Tapan Kandu was killed after he was murdered, post civic polls. Later, Calcutta High Court directed a CBI probe into the most sensational political murder of the state at that time.

The CBI also arrested a number of persons in the Tapan Kandu murder case, while his wife Purnima Kandu was elected in the by-election.

Mithun Kandu has alleged that the CCTV in the house has been shut since the past few days and the unnatural death is a part of the bigger conspiracy.

Purnima Kandu was found dead in her house in Jhalda on Saturday afternoon.

Veteran Congress leader and president of Purulia district Congress Nepal Mahato has also visited her house and has demanded a CBI probe.

She was taken to nearby Jhalda one primary health centre by Mithun Kandu, where doctors pronounced her brought-dead.

On 13 March 2022, Tapan Kandu was killed by miscreants during morning walk in Jhalda town. Seven people have been arrested in his murder case by SIT and later by CBI.

In the past few years, the Congress and the TMC have wrested the civic board after switching over of councillors to each other’s camp.

There was a tie in results after the civic elections were over.

So far, neither the district TMC nor the district police superintendent, Abhijit Banerjee have given any statements on this issue.

It is not clear whether Mithun Kandu will move to Calcutta High Court.