A 19-year-old woman, a student and the second of three siblings, died by suicide on Wednesday night, hours after the civic poll results were declared with the Opposition alleging that her death was linked to the ravalry between two Trinamul factions active in their locality.

Sources said the victim’s father, Junai Sheikh, is a known Trinamul supporter in Burdwan town's ward 27 area where they lived. Junai was opposed to the victorious nominee, Basiruddin, a sitting councillor.

The woman was a BA First-Year student of Burdwan Raj College. Days before the civic elections, a sketch of three women hanging from a tree was found drawn on the boundary wall of their house with the words "holo na… holo na… (did not happen, did not happen) scribbled below the sketch.

“The suicidal death of the 19-year-old woman in Burdwan has exposed the fact that Trinamul means terror. The family belonged to one faction and the accused in the other,” said Sujan Chakraborty, CPM central committee member.

A first-time voter, the victim, family sources said, could not cast her vote this time as the booth had been captured by Trinamul goons.

On Wednesday night after the results were declared, local residents alleged that Basiruddin’s supporters had attacked Junai’s house and hurled bombs. A while after the bombing was over, the victim allegedly locked herself inside a room and hanged herself. Junai Sheikh was not at home when the incident took place.

“The three sisters were subjected to abuse and a horrible sketch was made outside their house implying the three would be killed or forced to kill themselves. That is what has happened. Since the Trinamul nominee had the blessings of the party leadership, he is being protected. The state secretariat has nothing to say to the victim’s father,” Chakraborty said.

One of the sisters of the victim said they were not being allowed to step out of the house. “We supported another Trinamul leader, Mukhtar. Since then, we have been repeatedly abused. The neighbours were warned to ostracise us and threatened with dire consequences. My sister could not bear it any longer,” said Jharna Bibi.

“When I looked inside the room, I found my sister hanging,” she said.

The death of the Burdwan student is the second instance within a fortnight when a member from the minority community, which had solidly stood behind Mamata Banerjee and Trinamul Congress in the Assembly elections, have allegedly faced the wrath of the ruling party.

OC transferred

Last night, the inspector-in-charge of Taherpur police station inNadia district, Abhijit Biswas, was transferred. He was posted in the Nadia SP's office. The Taherpur Municipality is the only civic board, apart from Darjeeling, which the Trinamul could not win. In the last term too, the CPM had formed the board.

“This is an act of vengeance. It is the police’s responsibility and duty to ensure Trinamul’s victory in every election. Since it did not happen in Taherpur, the police officer had to be transferred,” alleged Sujan Chakraborty.