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Updated: Sep 10, 2019 18:52 IST

The widow of a BJP worker who died in a Kolkata hospital Sunday night has accused the Bengal police of stealing her husband’s body to prevent her from taking it to the party’s headquarters in deference to his last wish.

Swarup Gorai, who was allegedly shot by ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters in Birbhum district last Friday, died Sunday night, His body was later taken to N R S Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata for post mortem.

On Tuesday, his widow China Gorai lodged complaints against hospital authorities and the police for taking the body to Birbhum while keeping her in the dark. BJP leaders also decided to move court on Wednesday, alleging the police took the body only to prevent them from taking it to the state BJP office.

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On Monday evening, China wanted to take the body from the hospital to the BJP office before proceeding to their village about 160 km away north of Kolkata. But the police which was apprehensive of the law and order situation said the body should be taken directly to his native village. With neither China nor the BJP agreeing to the suggestion, the police allegedly asked them to collect the body in the morning.

After Gorai’s family members and BJP leaders left the hospital, the police allegedly took the body to Birbhum district at night, kept it at Bolpur sub divisional hospital and informed the deceased’s family members to take possession of it.

They also pasted an appeal on the walls of the house urging the family members to take the body for cremation However, Gorai’s family members tore up the paper. The police later pasted the letter at several prominent spots in the area including the local bus stand.

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On Tuesday morning, Gorai’s wife, China and a few BJP leaders reached N R S Hospital in Kolkata, and when they were told that the body was taken to Birbhum district, they lodged a complaint with the hospital’s deputy superintendent Dwaipayan Biswas.

“I was supposed to take the body at 7 am. They told me last evening that I should come to take it this morning. But when I came here I was told that the body has been taken to Nanoor. But I was not informed. How was the body handed over to the police without my consent? They (the police) stole my husband’s body,” said China Gorai.

“The wife of the deceased has said that her husband’s body would be handed over at 7 am on Tuesday. But when she came here, the body was not there,” said Debjit Sarkar, the head of BJP Yuva Morcha in the state.

Biswas acknowledged the complaint. “She wanted investigation into the matter. We have received the complaint. I shall bring it to the notice of my superiors. Since the complaint has been formally lodged, some steps might take place.”

From the hospital, China Gorai and BJP leaders – former Lok Sabha MP Anupam Hazra, state unit vice-president Biswapriya Roy Chowdhury and BJP Yuva Morcha chief Debjit Sarkar – went to Entally police station and lodged a police complaint.

“Initially the police were reluctant to accept the complaint but when insisted by our lawyers present there, they accepted it. We will move Calcutta High Court on Wednesday or Thursday against the role of the police,” said Roy Chowdhury.

“How could the hospital authorities hand over the body to the police? The police actually stole the body,” said Roy Chowdhury.

In Birbhum, BJP district president Shyamapada Mondal said that after Gorai’s widow and brother returned to the village on Tuesday evening, they would speak to them and decide on whether to proceed with the cremation at all, or keep the body in the morgue.

Shyam Singh, Birbhum’s superintendent of police said that they have acted according to rules. On Monday, he had said that police have arrested three men for their role in Gorai’s murder. They were sent to police custody for five days by a district court on Monday.