Aynal Haque, a senior Trinamool Congress leader, who also heads the managing committee of a school in Raninagar, Murshidabad, was arrested on Teachers’ Day for allegedly subjecting a teacher to mental torture that drove him to suicide.

Police said Haque had been pressuring Ujjwal Sinha Roy, 42, a maths teacher and the school’s acting headmaster, with accusations of embezzling midday meal funds and threatening him with dismissal unless he shelled out ₹35 lakh to “clear his name”.

Unable to withstand the humiliation, Ujjwal hanged himself from a ceiling fan at his home on Seotember 2 shortly after receiving a final call from Haque.

Accused Haque — an elected member of the Raninagar panchayat samiti and managing committee president of Babultali Khalilur Rahman Vidyaniketan — was picked up from his home on Friday based on a complaint lodged by Ujjwal’s wife, Polly.

Haque was produced before the additional chief judicial magistrate in Lalbagh, which remanded him in police custody for seven days.

Three other persons named in the FIR are absconding, the police said.

The death of the teacher once again highlighted the fault lines within the ruling Trinamool, beset with repeated allegations of extortion and intimidation by
local leaders.

The CPM leadership, including party’s state secretary Md Salim, came forward on Friday to support the bereaved family.

Salim visited the deceased teacher’s home to meet his grieving wife and son, promising legal aid to ensure justice.

Speaking to him, Polly said: “Once Aynal Haque took charge as the new president of the school’s managing committee, he began harassing my husband. He demanded ₹35 lakh, accusing him of embezzlement, and threatened to shame him in the media and snatch away his job unless the money was paid. My husband went into depression, unable to bear the threats and humiliation. Even on September 2 morning, he received a call from Aynal, which led to the end.”

Consoling the family, Salim said: “What else can we expect from a state run by extortionists? It is tragic that a teacher had to sacrifice his life because he could not withstand the threats of a criminal who was given charge of managing a school by the government. In Mamata Banerjee’s rule, teachers have become victims. The change people once believed in has now borne poisonous fruit.”

School insiders said Ujjwal, an alumnus of Babultoali Khalilur Rahman Vidyaniketan, was entrusted with the role of teacher-in-charge after the regular headmaster retired
in 2019.

“He was deeply attached to the school and played a crucial role in its development. We never found anything wrong in him,” a colleague said.

After Haque assumed charge of the managing committee a few months ago, the new management flagged errors in the midday meal accounts and targeted Ujjwal, sources said.

“Haque and his aides intended to extort money from Ujjwal. They accused Ujjwal of embezzlement without proof, never lodged an official complaint, yet kept threatening him. Sadly, no one dared to speak up in his defense,” another colleague said.

Trinamool MLA from Raninagar, Soumik Hossain, also visited the bereaved family on Friday. Expressing his condolences, he said: “Those who threatened the teacher and demanded money from him committed a heinous act. Even if they belong to Trinamool, I will say this was not right. I have told the police to arrest the culprits and ensure appropriate legal action.”