West Bengal Shocker: Former Bengal Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee Found Hanging At TMC Office In Birbhum; Suicide Note Recovered

Rampurhat, West Bengal: A former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, Asish Banerjee, was discovered hanging at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office in the district on Sunday morning, August 16, 2026. A purported suicide note was recovered from the scene and is currently under examination by police. Banerjee's body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, although the details remain unclear at this time.

Banerjee, a veteran TMC leader from Birbhum, had represented the Rampurhat Assembly constituency in the state legislature for a record five terms from 2001 until his defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections. He served as Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly during Mamata Banerjee's tenure as Chief Minister and had also held various ministerial positions in the Mamata Banerjee government, including agriculture.

Despite his electoral defeat, Banerjee had expressed his intention to step down from key organizational roles within the TMC's Birbhum unit after the loss. However, he clarified that he did not wish to leave the party and remained an ordinary party member. The circumstances leading to his death are presently under investigation, with police recovering a purported suicide note as part of their inquiry.