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West Bengal CM ‘in shock’ as senior TMC leader shot dead by assailants in Malda
Dulal Sarkar, a former chairman of the Malda municipality and a businessman, was shot inside his factory in the same town.
Dulal Sarkar, vice-president of the Trinamool Congress unit in West Bengal’s Malda district, was shot dead by four motorcycle-borne assailants on Thursday morning, the police said.
Sarkar (61), a former chairman of the Malda municipality and a businessman, was shot inside his factory in the same town. The factory is close to his house and the local TMC office.
“Four men came on two motorcycles shortly after Sarkar reached his factory in a car. He ran and tried to hide inside a shop when the assailants opened fire. The attack, which took place around 10.30am, was recorded on a security camera, but the assailants had covered their faces,” a district police officer said requesting anonymity.
Sarkar succumbed to his injuries at the Malda district hospital after being shot in the head and neck.
Addressing an administrative meeting shortly after the incident, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said Sarkar died because of negligence by the police.
“Dulal Sarkar was my fellow warrior since inception (of TMC). He died because of negligence by the police. He was attacked once earlier also but the police withdrew his security cover,” Banerjee, who is also in charge of the home department, said at the administrative meeting.
She ordered cabinet minister Firhad Hakim to leave the meeting and rush to Malda.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said at a party event that the murder could either be the fallout of intra-party rivalry or an act by the opposition.
“Sarkar was a senior leader. The murder could be the fallout of intra-party rivalry. The opposition parties could have done this as well. Nothing can be ruled out,” he said.
Eyewitnesses told the police that they saw three of the assailants ride away towards Old Malda town.
“Barricades have been set up to check vehicles. The security camera footage is being examined,” a district police officer said.
The deceased was a six-time councillor of the Englishbazar municipality, and also contested the assembly elections twice.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly, targeted TMC saying Malda, which is located along the Bangladesh border, has turned into a hub for terrorists from across the border.
“Mamata Banerjee has turned Malda into a safe haven for terrorists from Bangladesh. Such crimes are bound to happen. Law and order have collapsed in the state. Several TMC leaders have been attacked in recent months,” Adhikari said.
