CPM MLA kills self day before House session

KOLKATA: A 70-year-old CPM MLA and former Rajya Sabha MP fell to his death from a fourth-floor balcony of the MLA hostel on Kyd Street on Sunday evening. Mostafa Bin Kasem, a five-time-legislator, left behind a short suicide note, saying he was depressed because of his chronic renal and cardiac ailments.
Mostafa had withstood the tide of change and won the Basirhat North assembly seat in North 24-Parganas by a slender 3,943 votes.The new house will have its first session on Monday. CPM is now reduced to 39 members in the assembly.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the spot within an hour, said no words were enough to console the bereaved family. Senior CPM leaders, including Rabin Deb and the entire North 24-Parganas leadership rushed to be at the familys side.
"It's very unfortunate. I spoke to the leaders of his party and they told me that he was suffering from a kidney problem. I wish he had given us a chance. We could have helped with better medical treatment. I have instructed that the post-mortem is done expeditiously and the body handed to his family with befitting honour. I met the family. Should they need any help, I have asked them to approach me directly," said Mamata.
Mostafa was admitted to SSKM hospital with cardiac problems on May 26, a day after being sworn in as MLA by pro-term speaker Gyan Singh Sohanpal. He also suffered from renal ailment and arthritis, because of which he could not walk properly. He was released from hospital on Sunday morning and went to Room No. 411 of the MLA hostel along with his son Masum, daughter-in-law and personal security guard Mainul Hauque.
Shortly after 4pm, Masum went out with his wife to escort her to Esplanade bus stand. The bodyguard was on the ground floor. The MLA was alone in his room. Masum returned an hour later and found the door unlocked. He was surprised when he could not find his father. "It was quite unnatural as he could not walk properly. I went to the balcony and saw him lying on the first-floor terrace," said Masum.
Police said the MLA died between 4pm and 4.55pm. "He appeared to have leapt from the balcony," said an officer.
"He probably died immediately," said Forward Bloc MLA Tajmul Hossain, who was among the first to reach the spot with Masum.
Mostafa had written a five-line suicide note on his MLA letter pad. "He mentioned that both his kidneys were not working. The letter suggests that he was depressed and decided to kill himself," said a police officer. "We have seen the letter," said Tajmul