Malda Trinamool leader among 2 arrested in party leader murder case: Police

Dulal Sarkar (61), a former chairman of the Malda municipality and a businessman, was shot dead on January 2 by four motorcycle-borne assailants inside his factory

Kolkata: At least two persons, including a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the murder of Dulal Sarkar, the party’s Malda unity vice-president, police said.

Narendranath Tiwari, the president of TMC’s Englishbazar town unit, was arrested after 21 hours of interrogation (HT/Representative photo)

Narendranath Tiwari, the president of TMC’s Englishbazar town unit, was arrested after 21 hours of interrogation, along with Swapan Sharma, a local with a criminal record.

Sarkar, (61), a former chairman of the Malda municipality and a businessman, was shot dead on January 2 by four motorcycle-borne assailants inside his factory, located near his house and the local TMC office. The incident was captured on a security camera.

“I have been framed. Someone influential person is behind the murder,” Tiwari alleged while being taken to Malda court.

Previously, police had arrested five individuals in connection with the murder.

Shami Akhtar and Abdul Gani, alleged contract killers from Bihar, along with Tinku Ghosh, a resident of Englishbazar, were arrested on January 3. Two more local residents, Amit Rajak and Abhijit Ghosh, were arrested on January 4.

On January 5, police announced a reward for information on two additional suspects, Bablu Yadav and Krishna Rajak alias Rohan, both residents of Englishbazar.

Englishbazar municipality chairman and former minister Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury who had previously alleged that ₹10 lakh had been paid to the contract killers, on Wednesday said Tiwari and Sarkar had a fallout following the 2022 civic body elections.

“Tiwari and some of his associates were attacked by Sarkar’s followers during the 2022 civic body elections, and Tiwari sought revenge,” Chowdhury said after Tiwari’s arrest.

“Sharma is a contract killer. He is currently facing trial in a murder case and was out on bail,” Chowdhury added.

Sarkar’s wife, Chaitali Ghosh Sarkar, who is also a councillor, had earlier said that the murder was politically motivated and involved multiple influential individuals. “I suspected Tiwari’s involvement in my husband’s death, but his arrest has come as a shock. I can’t believe someone could go to such an extent,” she said.