Slain TMC worker's Sanju Karmakar parents flee from home in fear

KOLKATA: Fear of reprisals has driven the elderly parents of deceased TMC worker Sanju Karmakar out of their home in Sonarpur on Kolkata's southeastern fringe after a mob attacked party MP Abhishek Banerjee during a visit to the family home on Saturday.

Karmakar's parents, who had been living alone since the death of their 40-year-old unmarried son, were moved from their home in Sonarpur to their married daughter's residence in Kalikapur, off Kolkata's busy EM Bypass corridor, late Saturday night. Relocation came shortly after security forces escorted Banerjee from Karmakar's house following the attack.

Karmakar's sister Sangita Pramanik said the area remained charged and intimidating, leaving her parents vulnerable to attack. "When the party's national general secretary gets assaulted and local councillors and TMC workers are living in fear, we are insignificant. How can I leave my parents there without any assurance of security?" she said, urging the authorities to provide protection.

Banerjee said Karmakar was assaulted a day after the May 4 election results, suffered for several days and was later hospitalised, where he died. He advised the parents to move elsewhere temporarily. Sangita said her brother was attacked on May 5, a day after BJP ended TMC's 15-year stint in govt. She said few locals were willing to accompany him to hospital because of fear.

TMC alleged Karmakar was a victim of post-poll violence carried out by BJP-backed assailants. BJP functionaries and some residents, however, said Karmakar died from a medical emergency, possibly a brain stroke, and his family never filed a complaint linking the death to political violence.

Some residents linked his death to possible drug use or a property-related dispute. The family and TMC dismissed those claims.