TMC councillor Sanjoy Das found hanging at Nagerbazar residence in Kolkata
Synopsis
A TMC councillor closely linked to former legislator Aditi Munshi was found hanging at his Kolkata home days after the party's landslide election defeat — with no suicide note and a post-mortem still pending. The death lands amid a swirling legal battle involving Munshi and her husband over disproportionate assets and post-poll violence allegations.
Key Takeaways
Sanjoy Das , TMC councillor from Ward 18, South Dum Dum Municipality , was found hanging at his Nagerbazar residence on 23 May .
Police suspect suicide but have not confirmed the cause; a post-mortem report is awaited.
No suicide note was recovered from the scene.
Das was reportedly distressed following the TMC's landslide defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections announced on 4 May .
His close associate Debraj Chakraborty had been detained for interrogation over alleged post-poll violence linked to the 2021 elections .
The Calcutta High Court granted interim protection to Aditi Munshi and Chakraborty until 19 June in a disproportionate assets case.
The hanging body of Sanjoy Das, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor from Ward Number 18 of South Dum Dum Municipality in North 24 Parganas district, was recovered under mysterious circumstances from his residence in the Nagerbazar area on the northern outskirts of Kolkata on Saturday, 23 May. Police were alerted and reached the spot promptly, recovering the body and sending it for post-mortem examination.
What the Police Have Said
Following preliminary investigation, the police suspect the incident to be a case of suicide, though they have cautioned that the actual cause of death will be confirmed only after a detailed post-mortem report is available. Notably, no suicide note was recovered from Das's bedroom, where his body was found hanging on Saturday morning.
Political Background and Alleged Anxieties
Local residents described Das as a close confidant of former TMC legislator and acclaimed devotional singer Aditi Munshi, who had represented the Rajarhat-Gopalpur Assembly constituency and was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. Munshi's husband, Debraj Chakraborty, is himself a TMC councillor in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
According to locals, Das had reportedly been visibly distressed since 4 May, when the West Bengal Assembly election results were announced, marking a landslide defeat for the TMC. They added that the recent detention of Debraj Chakraborty by police for interrogation — over his alleged involvement in a post-poll violence case linked to the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections — had deepened Das's anxieties. Locals are reportedly wondering whether Das took the extreme step under the weight of that mounting pressure.
Calcutta High Court Order on Munshi and Chakraborty
The circumstances surrounding Das's death come a day after the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta granted interim protection from coercive police action — including arrest — to Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty until 19 June, in a case related to disproportionate assets.
Justice Sengupta also directed the state government to submit all evidence related to the charges against the couple before the court by the next date of hearing, and ordered the state police to file a progress report on the investigation by the same deadline.
What Happens Next
The post-mortem report will be critical in determining whether this was a suicide or whether foul play was involved. Police have not ruled out any angle at this stage. The incident adds another layer of political tension to an already fraught post-election climate in West Bengal, where allegations of poll-related violence and asset irregularities continue to shadow the TMC.
Point of View
The incident cannot be read in isolation. West Bengal's post-election period has historically been marked by violence and intimidation; a pattern the courts have repeatedly flagged. The absence of a suicide note and the pending post-mortem mean conclusions are premature — but the political context will be impossible to separate from the investigation that follows.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sanjoy Das and what happened to him?
Sanjoy Das was the TMC councillor from Ward Number 18 of South Dum Dum Municipality in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. His hanging body was found at his Nagerbazar residence in Kolkata on 23 May; police suspect suicide but are awaiting a post-mortem report to confirm the cause of death.
Was a suicide note found at the scene?
No suicide note was recovered from Das's bedroom, where his body was found hanging on Saturday morning. Police have not yet confirmed whether the death was a suicide or if other factors were involved.
What is the connection between Sanjoy Das and Aditi Munshi?
Local residents described Das as a close confidant of former TMC legislator and devotional singer Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty, a TMC councillor in Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. Munshi was defeated in the 2025 West Bengal Assembly elections from the Rajarhat-Gopalpur constituency.
What legal proceedings are underway involving Aditi Munshi and Debraj Chakraborty?
The Calcutta High Court, through Justice Jay Sengupta, granted Munshi and Chakraborty interim protection from arrest until 19 June in a disproportionate assets case. The court also directed the state government to submit all evidence and the police to file an investigation progress report by the next hearing date.
Why were locals concerned about Das's mental state before his death?
According to local residents, Das had been visibly distressed since the TMC's landslide election defeat announced on 4 May. His anxiety reportedly deepened after Debraj Chakraborty was detained for interrogation over alleged involvement in a post-poll violence case linked to the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
