- Former West Bengal Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee found dead.
- Suicide note blames politics, cites "biggest mistake".
- CM Suvendu Adhikari seeks probe into threats.
Asish Banerjee Suicide: Asish Banerjee, the former deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, was found dead in the early hours of Sunday at a Trinamool Congress office in Rampurhat city in Birbhum district. His younger brother said Banerjee had dinner with his family on Saturday night and showed no signs of stress.
The former MLA's body was found hanging at the party office and was sent for a post-mortem examination, police said.
Banerjee's younger brother, Prasanta Banerjee, was among the family members who discovered his body and alerted the police.
"He used to sit at the party office for some time every morning after his morning walk. He followed the routine today as well," Prasanta said.
What His Younger Brother Said
According to Prasanta, Banerjee had dinner with his family on Saturday night and appeared to be normal.
“There was nothing abnormal in his behaviour. We cannot believe that he died by suicide,” Prasanta said.
The incident has shocked TMC workers in the district, with Banerjee being a prominent party leader and a close associate of TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
Who Was Asish Banerjee?
Banerjee, 74, was a senior TMC leader who served as the 13th Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly from July 2021 to May 2026.
Born in Rampurhat, Banerjee held a PhD from Burdwan University and had served as an associate professor at Rampurhat College. He was also a five-time MLA from the Rampurhat Assembly constituency.
Banerjee won five consecutive elections from Rampurhat between 2001 and 2021. However, he lost the constituency to BJP's Dhruba Saha in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Banerjee polled 87,687 votes, while Saha secured 111,920 votes, winning the seat by a margin of around 24,000 votes.
Banerjee had also served as Bengal's education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee came to power.
In June, Banerjee resigned as the chairperson of the TMC's Birbhum district core committee. At the time, he said he would continue working as a general member of the party.
What Did the Suicide Note Say?
Police recovered a purported one-page suicide note near Banerjee's body at the party office.
In the note, the former deputy speaker wrote, "No one is responsible for my death. But today I realise that entering politics was the biggest mistake of my life."
According to the purported note, Banerjee claimed that he had never been involved in corruption or taken money in exchange for any work. He also wrote that although he could not always accept "wrongdoings" within the party, he had been unable to protest against them, PTI reported.
The authenticity and circumstances surrounding the note are part of the ongoing police investigation.
Police Probe Underway
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh said police found the doors to the room locked from inside when they reached the TMC office.
“When police reached the TMC party office, they found both doors to the room locked from inside. They broke a door and entered the room."
Police have begun examining the circumstances surrounding Banerjee's death, including the purported suicide note and other evidence collected from the spot.
ALSO READ: 'Suvendu Executed It': Abhishek Banerjee Accuses PM Modi, Amit Shah Over Mamata's Car Attack
Suvendu Adhikari Seeks Probe Into Possible Threats
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said it should be investigated whether Banerjee had faced any threats before his death. He also called for the examination of the handwritten note and other evidence, including call records.
#WATCH | Kolkata | On the death of Former WB Assembly Deputy Speaker and veteran TMC leader Asish Banerjee, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari says, "I spoke to his family a short while ago... He was a decent political leader... The BJP MLA elected from his constituency went to meet… pic.twitter.com/sUY1PZYnDc
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2026
CM Adhikari said, "I spoke to his family a short while ago... He was a decent political leader... The BJP MLA elected from his constituency went to meet him and touched his feet. His entire family stated that he shared a good rapport with local BJP workers and the police... This is an unfortunate incident... I had a good relationship with him, and when I assumed the role as the Chief Minister, he messaged me saying he would come to meet me... I have asked his family to cooperate with the police... Corrupt individuals from the TMC might try to intimidate them... Call records should be examined. After Mamata Banerjee lost the election, she formed a committee, and he immediately resigned from it... The police will certainly take action... I, too, will meet his family because I shared a good bond with them—you can verify this..."
Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know needs help, please reach out to one of these helpline numbers: 022-27546669 (Aasra, Mumbai), +91 44 2464 0050 (Sneha, Chennai), 011-23389090, (Sumaitri, Delhi), 040-66202000 (Roshni, Hyderabad), +91 11 41198666 (Sangath Tele-Counselling), 1800-599-0019 (Kiran), +918422984528, +91 8422984529 and +91 8422984530 (Samaritans), +91 8448440632 (Manodarpan), 14416 and 1800-891-4416 (Tele-MANAS)