Trinamool leader arrested in party councillor's murder case in Bengal

Kolkata, Jan 8 The West Bengal Police investigating the brutal murder of Dulal Sarkar a.k.a. Babla, a Trinamool Congress councillor from Ward number 22 of English Bazar Municipality in Malda district, on Wednesday arrested a party block president from the same district for allegedly conspiring the attack.

Sarkar was murdered on January 2.

The arrested person has been identified as Narendra Nath Tiwari, the Malda town president of Trinamool Congress and also the district president of the Hindi cell of the ruling party in the district.

At the same time, Tiwari’s close associate in the party, Swapan Sharma, has also been arrested in this connection.

Although the police have yet to pinpoint the exact reason behind the murder, information has surfaced that there were instances of personal rivalry between Sarkar and Tiwari.

The interesting part of the case is that Trinamool Congress leadership, who always hold BJP responsible for any murder or violence against any of their party leader or worker has this time refrained from adopting the same path.

In fact, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had held the district police responsible for not being able to prevent the murder of Sarkar. Soon after the news of Sarkar’s murder surfaced on January 2 afternoon, the Chief Minister 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“Previously Babla used to get security cover which was later withdrawn.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.

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.