Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee’s niece, Bristy Mukherjee, was found dead at her residence in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Tuesday, September 1, police said.
The 28-year-old was found in a room on the second floor of her house in Kusumba village in the Rampurhat area, a senior police officer said.
“The body has been sent for post-mortem examination. An investigation is underway. The circumstances leading to the death will be established after the post-mortem and other procedural inquiries,” the officer said.
Police Begin Investigation
Police have sent Mukherjee’s body for post-mortem examination as part of the investigation. Officials said the circumstances surrounding her death would be established after the autopsy and other procedural inquiries.
According to family members, Mukherjee had been suffering from depression for the past few years and was undergoing treatment.
The family also said she had lost her job following the Supreme Court’s decision in a case involving the cancellation of recruitments to government-aided schools in West Bengal.
Mukherjee was reportedly working as a non-teaching staff member at Bolpur Upper Primary School. She was among thousands of teaching and non-teaching employees whose appointments were cancelled following the recruitment controversy.
Job Loss After Recruitment Case
The appointments were earlier struck down by the Calcutta High Court, with the Supreme Court subsequently upholding the decision in the alleged cash-for-jobs recruitment case.
Nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff members were affected by the cancellation of the appointments.
Family members said Mukherjee’s job loss had come amid her existing struggles with depression. She had been receiving medical treatment for the condition, they said.
Mukherjee was the daughter of Nihar Mukherjee, described as Mamata Banerjee’s maternal cousin and a regional TMC leader.
