Five years after the death of BJP candidate Dhurjati Saha alias Manas Saha following an alleged assault during the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election counting, his family says it is still waiting for justice. With the BJP now forming the government in the state after the latest Assembly elections, Saha’s daughter has renewed her demand for punishment of those responsible.

On May 2, 2021, during vote counting for the West Bengal Assembly elections, tension reportedly escalated in the Magrahat West constituency. Dhurjati Saha, also known as Manas, who was contesting as a BJP candidate, was present at the counting centre when he was allegedly attacked by individuals said to be associated with the Trinamool Congress.

According to family members, they first learned about the assault through television news broadcasts, as Saha did not have access to his phone inside the counting centre. Party workers later rescued him in an unconscious state and attempted to take him to hospital. The family alleges that they faced repeated obstacles while shifting him for treatment and had to take alternative routes before finally reaching a hospital.

Saha remained under treatment for four months before succumbing to his injuries. His family subsequently filed a police complaint.

Speaking about the years that followed, Saha’s daughter alleged that the family faced continuous intimidation and pressure to withdraw the case. She claimed they also received death threats even after his passing.

Now, after the BJP’s victory in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, the family says it feels a renewed sense of hope.

“We cried a lot after seeing the results. We know father will never return, but now we want justice,” Saha’s daughter said. She appealed to the new BJP-led government to ensure that those accused in her father’s death are brought to justice and receive strict punishment.

Despite the statewide defeat of the Trinamool Congress, the Magrahat West constituency has once again remained under the party’s control.