Tripura Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting or retired High Court judge into the mysterious death of a woman employee at Shantiniketan Medical College. Rejecting the state government’s magistrate-level probe, Congress warned of a statewide agitation if a transparent and impartial investigation is not ensured.
The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee and the Pradesh Mahila Congress on Friday strongly demanded a judicial inquiry into the mysterious death of a woman employee of Shantiniketan Medical College, insisting that the investigation be conducted by a sitting or retired High Court judge to ensure transparency and justice.
The opposition party also warned of launching a statewide agitation if the state government fails to order an impartial and independent investigation into the incident.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala, Pradesh Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty and Pradesh Mahila Congress president Sarbani Ghosh Chakraborty raised several questions regarding the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and expressed concern over the manner in which the case is being handled by the authorities.
Prabir Chakraborty alleged that officials of Amtali Police Station and the Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission had publicly described the incident as a case of suicide even before the post-mortem examination was conducted. According to him, such statements made prior to the completion of forensic procedures cast serious doubts on the neutrality and fairness of the investigation.
He questioned how officials could arrive at a conclusion before the post-mortem findings were available and urged authorities to clarify the basis on which such remarks were made. Chakraborty further asked how individuals who first discovered the body could immediately determine that the woman had died by hanging inside a locked room.
The Congress leader also sought an explanation regarding reports that the body was brought down from its hanging position before the arrival of police personnel. He stated that in cases involving unnatural deaths, preserving the scene is essential for a proper investigation and any deviation from established procedures warrants scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Pradesh Mahila Congress president Sarbani Ghosh Chakraborty informed reporters that a delegation of the organization visited the victim’s residence earlier in the day to offer condolences to the bereaved family members and express solidarity with them during the difficult time.
Condemning the incident, Sarbani said the Chief Minister’s decision to order a magistrate-level inquiry was unacceptable to the Congress party. She argued that only an inquiry led by a sitting or retired High Court judge would inspire public confidence and ensure a transparent examination of all aspects of the case.
“We do not accept a magistrate-level investigation. The probe must be conducted by a High Court judge to ensure transparency and justice,” she said.
She further claimed that several magistrate-level inquiries had been ordered in the state in the past, but reports of many such investigations were yet to be made public. According to her, this has created public skepticism regarding the effectiveness of such probes.
The Congress leaders announced that the party would intensify its movement after June 15 if the demand for a judicial inquiry is not fulfilled. They also revealed that allied organizations, Ganamanch and the Tripura People’s Party, would join the protest movement.
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According to the party leadership, a detailed roadmap for a broader statewide agitation will be prepared shortly in consultation with allied organizations. The Congress maintained that justice for the deceased woman and transparency in the investigation remain their primary demands, and warned that the issue would continue to be raised until an independent judicial probe is ordered.
