Kolkata, Dec 21 : A Trinamool Congress leader was found dead at a hotel at the Mandarmani sea resort in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Saturday morning, triggering tension in the area.

Police have detained a woman who came along with the deceased leader, identified as Abul Nasar, 34, an influential leader in the Amdanga area in North 24 Parganas district, to the hotel for interrogation.

Whether the death is because of suicide or murder would be known only after the post-mortem report is available, a police official said.

However, since the deceased leader's wife, who is also a Trinamool deputy panchayat chief, has alleged this was a case of murder, Mandarmani Coastal Police Station has started an investigation into the matter.

It is learnt that a hotel staffer on Saturday morning detected the hanging body of the Trinamool leader in his room. However, at the time, no one else was in the room and the woman, who accompanied him to the hotel, was also not there.

The hotel authorities immediately informed the local police and a police team reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it for a post-mortem examination.

Later, the woman, who accompanied Abul Nasar to the hotel, was detained by police and taken to the local police station for questioning.

The police have filed a case of unnatural death in the matter. "Prima facie it seems that this is a case of suicide. However, we will be certain only after the autopsy report is available," a district police official said.

However, the local Trinamool leadership has ruled out any political colour over the death. According to them, Abul Nasar was quite politically active in the area and his death was a loss for the local organisation of the party there.

/IANS