Senior Trinamool Congress leader and former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Ashish Banerjee, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Sunday morning inside a party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat. The veteran politician’s body was recovered hanging inside the room. This incident sent shockwaves across Birbhum district and West Bengal’s political landscape. Family members and party workers discovered the scene when he failed to emerge from his morning routine. Local authorities were alerted immediately as news spread through the town.
Discovery at Party Office and Police Investigation
Police teams from the Rampurhat police station arrived at the location shortly after receiving the emergency call. They cordoned off the premises and preserved the site for forensic assessment. In addition, officers carefully removed the body and sent it to Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital for a detailed post-mortem examination.
Senior police leadership confirmed the recovery of a handwritten note from the desk inside the room. Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh stated that the preliminary findings point toward suicide based on physical evidence and the contents of the note. In the letter, Banerjee wrote that no individual should be held responsible for his death.
He also forcefully rejected recent allegations of financial irregularities against him. Moreover, he asserted that he maintained complete honesty throughout his decades of public life.
The note specifically referenced recent controversies involving the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority. He had previously served as chairperson there and faced public criticism from political opponents.
A Quarter-Century Political Career and Public Impact
Ashish Banerjee built a formidable political legacy in Birbhum district. He represented the Rampurhat assembly constituency for 25 consecutive years from 2001 to 2026.
After the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inducted him into the state cabinet. There, he managed key ministries including Agriculture, School Education, and AYUSH.
Following his ministerial tenure, he was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. He played a crucial role in managing legislative proceedings.
His long electoral winning streak ended in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. That year, he lost the Rampurhat seat to Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Dhruba Saha in a closely contested battle.
Reactions Across Political Spectrum
The news of his death brought thousands of grieving supporters, party colleagues, and local residents to his residence and the medical college grounds.
Prominent figures including Bolpur MP Asit Kumar Mal and Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam visited the site to pay their respects to the veteran leader. Senior leaders from across party lines expressed grief over the sudden tragedy. At the same time, they acknowledged his long service to the district.
Police authorities have registered an unnatural death case and seized the handwritten note for handwriting verification. Furthermore, they have initiated a broader probe to determine the exact timeline of events leading up to the incident.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
