Kolkata: In a tragic end to the civic poll results in Bengal, an independent candidate who lost with just 30 votes allegedly killed herself consuming sleeping pills immediately after the results were announced. The incident took place in Coopers Camp civic polls in Nadia around 80 kms from Kolkata. The polls took place on August 13, along with six other civic bodies. Trinamool Congress meanwhile swept the civic body polls in Bengal with BJP emerging as a distant second.
“We have initiated an unnatural death case. The cause of death will be known after post mortem,” said Seesh Ram Jhajharia, police superintendent of Nadia. “She could not take the humiliation of defeat. She put her heart and soul to campaign and was confident of winning. But she lost by such thin margin. Some people also taunted her,” said Samir Dey, the victim’s husband. No police complaint was lodged in the case and the body has been sent for post mortem.
The victim Supriya Dey, independent candidate from ward number 1, walked home after the results were announced. She then had over 40 sleeping pills and locked the door of her room from inside. Dey was the councilor of the ward for the last two terms. Originally hailing from Congress she joined Trinamool Congress in 2013. She was a popular leader in the area. However, this time she could not get ticket from ruling Trinamool Congress and decided to contest as an independent candidate in the civic polls.
Though there was a tough fight, by noon when the results were declared it was seen that she lost with a margin of 30 votes against Trinamool Congress candidate Ashok Sarkar. While Sarkar got 350 votes, the victim got 320 votes (out of 886 voters). She returned home only to apparently commit suicide. Her family members discovered her body and empty packets of sleeping pills. She was rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial hospital in Kalyani, where she was declared brought dead.
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