Mamata slams protests against SFI leader's death

Says cops not behind death, calls for media restraint

Kolkata/Bangalore (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday questioned SFI protests over the death of its leader Sudipta Gupta saying it is an accident even as Kolkata police called for media restraint amid allegations he was beaten to death in police custody.

As the death of 22-year-old Sudipto Gupta continued to evoke strong protests, his father Pranab Gupta and the CPI-M maintained his death was not an accident and that he was allegedly done to death. CPI-M has demanded a judicial probe while the victim's family has called for CBI investigations.

Protesting members of SFI, the student wing of CPI-M, observed a students strike as they blocked busy roads in Kolkata and other parts of the state for 15 minutes at 11.00 am. The blockade was peaceful, police sources said.

The CPI(M) also called for a 12-hour general strike at Garia and Tollygunge in the southern suburbs, where Gupta lived and studied during his school and college days. On the SFI observing a student strike, Banerjee said, "Why? for what purpose?".

The post-mortem would reveal that it's an accident, she said, adding "It is unfortunate. It is not police assault." Banerjee was replying to questions by reporters in Bangalore during her visit to the city to confer West Bengal's prestigious 'Vishes Sangeet Mahasamman' award on eminent playback singer Manna Dey at his residence.

With preliminary reports indicating that the Gupta's death was due to head injury, the Kolkata police urged the media not to jump to a conclusion as investigations were underway.

"Our appeal to the media is please don't jump to a conclusion because the way the incident is being projected is not right. We have launched a thorough investigation and the forensic team has visited the spot," Joint Commisioner of Police (Hqs) Javed Shamim told reporters in Kolkata.

Asked whether the Chief Minister's statement that Gupta died after being hit by a lamp post would affect the investigation, Shamim said, "Why should it? I on the basis of the primary report had said the same thing."

Stating that with the launch of the investigation all aspects would be looked into, Shamim said the preliminary autopsy report had suggested that the death was due to head injury after being hit by a blunt object.