Durgapur minor blood donation case: Main accused Kingshuk Mukherjee arrested from Odisha
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Police in West Bengal on Thursday, 13 August arrested Kingshuk Mukherjee, identified as the prime accused in the Durgapur minor blood donation racket, in which underage students of a private school were allegedly lured with money and taken to a private hospital to have their blood drawn. Mukherjee was apprehended in Odisha, where he had been hiding since the incident came to light.
How the Racket Unravelled
The case originated at a private school in Ispat Nagari, Durgapur, in West Burdwan district. Minor students were reportedly taken to a private hospital in Bidhannagar, Durgapur, where their blood was collected. Once the matter surfaced, a written complaint was lodged at Durgapur police station, triggering a formal investigation.
Investigators first identified Debapriya Chakraborty, a former student of the school, who allegedly transported the minors to the hospital by offering financial inducements. During interrogation, Chakraborty claimed he had been recruited into the scheme by others, leading police further up the chain.
Key Accused and Their Alleged Roles
The probe subsequently revealed the involvement of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) member Amit Prasad Yadav and Mohammad Habibullah, a resident of Malda who worked at a hotel in Bidhannagar. On 6 August, Durgapur police arrested all three — Chakraborty, Habibullah, and Yadav — in a coordinated raid.
Further interrogation of the three arrested accused led investigators to Kingshuk Mukherjee, whose home is also in Bidhannagar, Durgapur. Police sources said Mukherjee played a key role in orchestrating the scheme. He had reportedly fled to Odisha following the arrests of his associates and was tracked down and detained in a subsequent raid.
Investigation Still Ongoing
Investigators are continuing to probe the full scope of the racket — specifically, how minors were persuaded to donate blood in exchange for money, who facilitated their transport to the hospital, and whether a larger organised gang was involved beyond the four individuals arrested so far.
Durgapur Purba Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Chandra Sekhar Banerjee stated that police were conducting the investigation without prejudice and that all those found responsible for the serious crime would face punishment.
What Happens Next
With the alleged mastermind now in custody, police are expected to conduct further interrogations to determine whether the blood collection was linked to any commercial or medical supply chain. The case has drawn significant attention to the vulnerability of minor students to exploitation under the guise of financial assistance.