The West Bengal government will hand over the body of Lalmohan Tudu, a senior leader of the Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee, only to his kin, Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has said.
“This is what we plan to tell the court tomorrow [Tuesday],” he told reporters here, referring to a writ petition filed on Monday for getting back the body of Tudu, who was killed in firing by security forces near Lalgarh on February 23.
Director-General of Police Bhupinder Singh said the body could not be handed over, as none had claimed it. “We have sent notices as well as messengers to his house, but we did not get any response. As per the law, we can give the body only to a blood-relation.”
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He said the petition was filed on Monday by Dhaniram Kisku who claimed to be his brother-in- law and Debaprasad Roy Chowdhury. But he found it curious that the affidavit appended with the petition was filed by Mr. Roy Chowdhury who said he was the secretary of a civil rights and human rights organisation, which had been active since the 1970s. “The affidavit should be [filed] by Mr. Kisku.” Mr. Bhupinder Singh said the body could be kept for 14 days under such circumstances.