In a twist in the probe into the mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman, the first investigating officer in the case, was also found dead under suspicious circumstances.
A railway police sub-inspector, who was the first to investigate the Rizwanur Rahman suicide case two years ago, was found dead in mysterious circumstances on Wednesday.
The body of Arindam Manna, who had later become a prime witness in the case, was found on tracks near Mankundu Railway Station in Hooghly district at 8.30 am.
Railway police officers said after preliminary investigation that Manna might have committed suicide, but the sub-inspector’s relatives claimed it was a clear case of murder. Additional director general (rail) Dilip Mitra said prima facie, it seemed a suicide. “However, things will become clear only after the post-mortem. I have gathered information from Manna’s colleagues, who said he was disturbed.”
Manna’s kin Srikanta Patra has filed a complaint at Sheoraphuli Railway Police Station that the 31-year-old had been receiving threat calls and was under tremendous pressure for the last few days. According to the complaint, Manna rang up his mother at 1.39 am on Wednesday and told her that he was in grave danger and might even lose his life.
However, the complaint does not mention who was or were making the threat calls.
“Arindam left for his workplace in Dum Dum from his house at Howrah’s Dasnagar. Yesterday late in the night (technically, Wednesday early morning), he called up his mother to say his life was in danger. They will not allow me to live. I am leaving this world,” reads the complaint.
Manna’s kin rushed to his workplace, only to find that he was on leave. Coming back home, they made a missing diary (GDE-416) at Dasnagar Police Station. Manna’s relatives told reporters they suspected conspiracy. Smelling foul play, human rights groups have demanded a high-level inquiry into the death.
The most vocal among rights activists was Sujato Bhadra, general secretary of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights, who had played a key role in building public opinion in the Rizwanur case. “Manna’s death cannot be viewed in isolation. He was a prime witness in the Rizwanur case. It creates suspicion and demands a high-level probe,” he said.
Rizwanur committed suicide by jumping before a running train on September 21, 2007, allegedly under pressure from wife Priyanka Todi’s family. The graphics designer and the daughter of industrialist Ashoke Todi had married despite stiff opposition.
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