Bengal Police arrest 2 more youths for TMC leader Dulal Sarkar’s murder, suspect role of illegal liquor traders

When contacted, Abhijit Ghosh’s parents claimed he was addicted to liquor and often spent the night outside. They added that Abhijit Ghosh did not return home on December 31 and on January 1. He came back for a while on January 2 and then went away again.

The police said the two youths have been arrested on charges of providing accommodation, and a bike to the assailants. The two also allegedly helped in hiding the murder weapon and prepared the route chart for the assailants to escape after the murder.

A senior police officer said: “All five arrested persons are addicted to liquor and also involved in illegal liquor trading. Dulal Sarkar protested against this illegal liquor trade in his ward. Probably, that is the reason for his murder. We suspect that the main culprit is from Bihar and are investigating the case from every possible angle.”

‘Political conspiracy’

However, contradicting the police version, Dulal Sarkar’s wife Chaitali Ghosh Sarkar said: “I do not believe that such young people murdered my husband. I think his murder is a political conspiracy.”

The Malda police had arrested three youths – Sami Akhter, 20, Tinku Ghosh, 22, and Abdul Ghani, 23 – for the murder earlier in the week. Akhtar and Ghani are residents of Katihar, Bihar. Tinku Ghosh is a resident of Malda’s English Bazar. All three have been remanded in police custody till January 14.

Sarkar was the councillor of Ward No. 22 of the English Bazar Municipality. Three miscreants on a bike allegedly shot him on Thursday morning, following which he was admitted to Malda Medical College in a critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries later in the day.

On Thursday, while addressing an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat in Howrah, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Malda District Police Superintendent Pradeep Kumar Yadav, holding him accountable for the murder.