Kolkata, April 6 (NationPress) Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, announced on Monday that he plans to urge Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to initiate an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, specifically by the state's CID.

In a statement to the press, Adhikari remarked, “A formal complaint has been lodged at the Talsari Coastal Police Station. I have obtained a copy of this complaint and will discuss with the Chief Minister of Odisha today, advocating for a CID inquiry into this case. Given that an accused, Leena Gangopadhyay, has close ties with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and serves as the Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, I believe there are efforts to shield her from scrutiny and conceal the truth. I have no faith that Mamata’s police will take appropriate action.”

It is noteworthy that Leena Gangopadhyay holds the position of Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission.

Adhikari further asserted, “Similar to how she (Mamata Banerjee) intervened to protect the owner of a momo establishment involved in a fire incident in Anandapur, she seems to be attempting to safeguard Gangopadhyay in this situation as well.”

In response to Adhikari’s allegations, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered, “Suvendu Adhikari's bodyguard met with an unexplained death. There should be a thorough investigation into that first before he calls for another inquiry. In the RG Kar case, the suspect was apprehended within 24 hours. The West Bengal government is highly responsive, acting swiftly in such matters.”

Concerning the demand for an Odisha CID investigation, Ghosh added, “The Odisha Police has been slow to act on rape cases, with incidents occurring on Odisha's beaches. The West Bengal Police is more than capable and is actively pursuing the investigation. While Rahul's death is indeed heartbreaking and if negligence is proven, appropriate measures must be taken, this should not be politicized.”

It should be noted that the late actor’s spouse, Priyanka Sarkar, has filed complaints at both the Regent Park police station in Kolkata and the Talsari police station in Odisha. She has registered an FIR against five individuals from the production company involved in the shoot at Talsari beach. Reports indicate that Priyanka has named Shaibal Banerjee and Leena Gangopadhyay, leaders of the production company ‘Magic Moments’, along with director Subhasish Mondal, floor executive producer Shantanu Nandi, and the production company manager Chandrashekhar Chakraborty.

Furthermore, it has come to light that actors and technicians from the Bengali film and television sector are staging an indefinite strike starting Tuesday in protest of Rahul Arunoday Banerjee's death.

In light of the incident, there are now calls for ambulances to be present at every filming location. Actors and crew members are advocating for enhanced safety protocols while seeking justice for Rahul’s untimely passing.

On March 29, the 42-year-old actor tragically lost his life while filming the television series ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega’ after he entered the water at Talsari as the tide surged. This unfortunate event has caused significant disruption in the Bengali film and television community. Colleagues, directors, and technicians have expressed their shock at the news. Rahul is survived by his mother, wife Priyanka Sarkar, and their 13-year-old son.

A faction of actors within the Bengali film and television industry has called for a thorough and unbiased investigation into his passing.

Rahul, who was well-known for his character roles in the Bengali television scene, had been active in soap operas for numerous years. He gained popularity for his performance in the hit series ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ (2008) and went on to star in productions such as ‘Tumi Asbe Bole’ (2014), ‘Zulfiqar’ (2016), ‘Byomkesh Gotro’ (2018), ‘Biday Byomkesh’ (2018), and ‘The Academy of Fine Arts’ (2025). He also appeared in television shows like ‘Hargouri Pice Hotel’ and ‘Mohonna’.