Malda, May 28: More than 20 days after her death, family members of Binapani Roy refuse to believe that she had committed suicide.

On May 8, the 25-year-old woman was found hanging from the branch of a tree near her husband’s house at Khaspara, in the Gajole police station area, 50 km from here. A complaint lodged by the woman’s family, led police registered a case and the body was sent for post-mortem to the Malda district hospital. Though the report has not yet reached the police station concerned, it reportedly says the woman had committed suicide.

The news came as a shock to Binapani’s family who then raised the demand for a second autopsy. Accordingly, they kept the body in a coffin, instead of cremating it, and buried it near their house.

“My sister was married to Subrata Roy, a rice trader, about four years ago. Since then there has been friction between Binapani and her husband over the payment of more cash as dowry. We think she was strangled and then the body was hung from the tree,” said Prabhat Roy, Binapani’s brother. “We believe that the police have deliberately manipulated the post-mortem report to shield my sister’s killers. In a letter sent on May 25, we have appealed to Malda district superintendent of police Dilip Mondal to allow a second post-mortem.” The family has been constantly keeping vigil at the site where the body is buried.

Mondal said he is yet to receive any letter from Binapani’s family. “The post-mortem was conducted by a doctor, but if there is an appeal for fresh examination, we shall think about it,” the police chief said.

Local police officials, however, have brushed aside the charges of manipulation brought against them.

“The post-mortem report clearly points to suicide. Yet, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman’s family, we started a case and arrested Subrata, his father Narayan and his sister-in-law Manju. All three have been remanded in judicial custody,” said Hemant Singh, the officer-in-charge of Gajole police station. “In fact, Subrata’s house was attacked after the incident and the latter is still in hospital nursing his wounds.”

Binapani’s family, however, seemed to be in no mood to relent. “We shall cremate her body only after the second post-mortem and then conduct her last rites,” said Prabhat.