Bengal polls: CPM supporter punches TMC worker wife to death in Howrah

HOWRAH: A 32-year-old Trinamool worker died after allegedly being punched by her husband, a CPM supporter, during a political argument in Bally on Saturday night.

The accused, 42-year-old Md Javed, surrendered and was produced before a Howrah court on Sunday, which remanded him to five days' police custody.

The incident took place at workers' quarters near Bally Jute Mill in Howrah. The couple's three children have since been taken to homes in Liluah and Malipanchghara.

Police and local sources said Javed and his wife, Sakila Khatun, who were originally from Siwan in Bihar, had been married for 12 years.

Neighbours alleged that the couple frequently quarrelled over their political affiliations, with arguments often escalating into physical fights.

According to neighbours, Sakila would ask Javed to stop attending CPM meetings and instead take up additional work after his shifts at the jute mill to support the family. Javed, in turn, would object to her participation in Trinamool activities and urged her to start a tea and snacks stall near the mill.

On Saturday around 11 pm, a fresh argument broke out after Javed returned from work. He allegedly punched Sakila, causing her to hit a wall. She suffered a fractured skull and collapsed on the bed, and died shortly after. Their three children, who were in another room, rushed in upon hearing the commotion and found their mother unresponsive. Javed then took the children to a police station and surrendered, confessing to the assault. Police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem.