KOLKATA: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat chief was found dead at his residence in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, police said.
The deceased, identified as Jahidul Haque Baidya, was the chief of Jadurhati Uttar Gram Panchayat in the Baduria area.
According to police, Baidya’s body was discovered hanging from the ceiling of a room in his house on Tuesday morning. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination.
An officer from Baduria police station said an investigation is under way to determine whether the death was a case of suicide or if any other circumstances were involved.
The incident has caused concern in the locality, where Baidya had recently faced allegations of corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
On 31 May, local residents staged a protest outside his residence, alleging that a battery-operated waste collection vehicle procured under the Swachh Bharat Mission had been sold and the proceeds misused.
The protesters had demanded his arrest and called for a thorough investigation into the allegations.
Police said all possible angles are being examined and further inquiries are continuing.
(With inputs from PTI)