Asish Banerjee Found Dead Inside Party Office In Birbhum
A dark cloud descended upon Birbhum district as senior Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found hanging inside the local party office adjacent to his residence. Local residents and party workers made the tragic discovery in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, before alerting local authorities. Police quickly arrived at the scene, secured the premises, and sent the body for a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death. The sudden loss of a long-standing public figure who dedicated decades to regional governance has left supporters and the wider community in disbelief.
Senior police officials confirmed that a detailed handwritten note in Bengali was recovered from the premises. In the purported suicide note written on official letterhead, the former state cabinet minister vehemently denied all allegations of corruption and wrongdoing during his extensive public career. He specifically addressed recent chatter regarding the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority, clarifying that he was never involved in decision-making processes for tenders, financial approvals, or project certificates. Expressing deep distress over deliberate attempts to malign his character, he noted that entering politics felt like a mistake and lamented being unable to openly speak against internal party missteps.
Asish Banerjee stood as a prominent figure in regional politics for twenty-five consecutive years, representing the Rampurhat constituency through five terms. A former academic holding a doctorate in arts, he stepped away from his role as an associate professor of Bengali to dedicate himself to full-time governance. Over his long political journey, he held vital portfolios including the state agriculture and school education ministries, later serving as the Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.
The tragedy comes during a period of noticeable political transition and personal setbacks for the veteran politician. After losing his long-held Assembly seat in recent elections, Banerjee gradually stepped back from active political duties. He subsequently stepped down from his position as chairman of the party district core committee, choosing to remain solely as a general member. Family members shared that he showed no visible signs of mental distress during dinner the preceding evening, making the sudden news even more shocking for those close to him.
Law enforcement authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, examining the handwritten note and gathering statements from family members and political colleagues. As the post-mortem report is awaited to provide formal clarity, political figures across lines have expressed grief over the passing of a veteran leader whose academic background and soft-spoken nature had earned him widespread respect over several decades.