West Bengal’s Nadia district police arrested Fatima Bibi, a Trinamool Congress panchayat leader on Sunday as a suspect in the murder of a local Congress leader and his son on Saturday evening, police said.
Fatima Bibi, head of the Haranagar village panchayat, was arrested on Sunday along with two of her associates based on a complaint filed by the victims’ relatives, police said.
Anisur Rahman, the general secretary of the Nadia district Congress unit, and his son Abu Sufian, a law student, were shot dead inside their car by unidentified persons while travelling from Bethuadahari to their home at Nakashipara. The car was riddled with bullets, police said.
Deep Dive
What charges were brought against Fatima Bibi in the Bengal Congress leader's murder case?
How did the involvement of Jabbar Sheikh relate to the murder of the Congress leader and his son?
What was the reaction of the Congress party following the murders of its leader and his son in West Bengal?
Briefing the media, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said Fatima Bibi’s husband Jabbar Sheikh, who is currently in jail in connection with a criminal case, ordered the hit.
Adhikari said, “Jabbar Sheikh got this done while sitting in jail. His wife, the TMC pradhan, has been arrested.”
The Congress held demonstrations in Kolkata, Nadia and several other districts on Sunday. State Congress president Subhankar Sarkar accused the police of not being proactive.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress held demonstrations in Kolkata, Nadia and several other districts on Sunday. State Congress president Subhankar Sarkar accused the police of not being proactive.
{{/usCountry}}“The murders took place because the police has no intelligence network on the ground. Even after the crime was committed, police reached the spot late. All the accused must be arrested,” Sarkar said.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh from the party’s Mamata Banerjee faction condemned the murders but targeted the other faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee without naming anyone.
“We condemn the killings. A TMC leader is said to be involved. Let us see if this person belongs to the so-called good TMC. In that case we won’t be blamed for the crime.”