Trinamool to expel leader arrested in Bengal councillor murder case

Kolkata, Jan 9 Trinamool Congress leadership has decided to expel party leader Narendra Nath Tiwari arrested after being accused of conspiring the murder of Dulal Sarkar a.k.a. Babla, the party councillor from Ward number 22 of English Bazar Municipality under Malda district in West Bengal.

The formal announcement on the matter is likely to be made later in the day at a press conference at Trinamool Congress’ Malda district headquarters by the party’s district president, Abdul Rahim Bakshi.

Besides being the Malda town president of Trinamool Congress, Tiwari also holds the portfolio of the district president of the Hindi cell of the ruling party in Malda.

Tiwari, one of the seven accused in the case, is currently in judicial custody. The murder of Sarkar has revealed the notorious infighting within Trinamool Congress in Malda district.

Sarkar was murdered on January 2. Soon after the news of his murder surfaced Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held the district police responsible for not being able to prevent the murder of Sarkar and said that the tragedy took place due to the lackadaisical approach of the district police superintendent.

“Previously Babla used to get security cover which was later withdrawn. So there are surely lapses on the part of the police. Babla was with me from the beginning,” the Chief Minister said on the day of the murder.

On Wednesday, the English Bazar Municipality chairman, Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury, claimed that Tiwari was long determined to assassinate Sarkar.

“There was some sort of personal rivalry between Babla and Tiwari for a long time. Earlier too, Tiwari had threatened Babla of dire consequences. I doubt that in all probability contract killers were hired by Tiwari to assassinate Babla,” Chowdhury claimed on Wednesday.

Sarkar was attacked on January 2 morning while standing at a busy crossing in the area. Three helmet-clad assailants arrived on a motorcycle, and one of them opened fire. The first two bullets missed, but the third struck Sarkar in the head. He was immediately rushed to Malda Medical College and Hospital where he died.

Source: IANS