Kolkata: The wife of a Trinamool worker, who was in police custody on extortion charges, alleged her husband, Birju Keot (48), died at a Kalyani hospital following assault in cop custody at Halishahar PS on Friday.The wife, Jenny Sharma Keot, a former TMC councillor of Kanchrapara Ward 23, alleged Birju was thrashed with his limbs tied up.According to police sources, Birju was arrested by Halishahar Police on Friday in connection with allegations of extortion and other offences. He was remanded in five-day police custody after being produced at Barrackpore court on the same day, a senior police officer of the Barrackpore Commissionerate said.“An investigation is underway. The exact cause of death will be known after the autopsy report is received,” Amit Kumar Singh, police commissioner, Barrackpore, told TOI.TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the cops were turning into a ‘source of fear.’ Meanwhile, the party has alleged that the body bore fresh wounds and injury marks. It had been alleged that he was bleeding from the ears. Police sources said Birju was found ailing inside the lock-up late Friday night.“He was immediately taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital in Kalyani, where doctors declared him dead,” the officer added.His wife claimed that she had visited the police station and met her husband around 10 pm on Friday. “My husband appeared to be in good health at the time. He had also undergone a medical examination at the police station, and the report did not indicate any serious physical condition. I also gave clothes to my husband at the police station,” she said, claiming that her husband was innocent. Police sources, however, said the deceased might have suffered a cardiac attack. “It is also not clear whether his body bore injury marks,” another senior police officer said.The couple has two children. The family has demanded an impartial investigation into the incident and punishment for those responsible. “Birju Keot. His name was not in the FIR. He was still picked up by the @WBPolice. He died in custody. His family alleges brutal police assault,” Banerjee wrote on social media. The leader also asked who would protect the citizens if police would become the ‘source of fear.’
