Mamata rally fails to dry wife's tears

Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday took out a rally in protest against the murder of Trinamool Congress minority cell leader Rabin Kazi by the coal mafia in Burdwan. Mohammad Asif reports.

Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday took out a rally in protest against the murder of Trinamool Congress minority cell leader Rabin Kazi by the coal mafia in Burdwan.

HT Image

A huge number of Trinamool supporters from the coal belt participated in the rally, which started from Akulpur bridge and ended at Kazipara of Hijalgora village in Jamuria block of Asansol sub-division of Burdwan. Banerjee walked in the rally for at least 5 km.

The police have managed to nab eight persons in connection with the murder but the key accused, Dinabandhu Bauri, is still absconding.

"In the last 35 years, the CPI(M) has done nothing except creating goons and harmads. It is these very harmads who have killed our leader Rabin Kaji. They attacked him with the intent to murder," said Banerjee in Jamuria on Tuesday. She also alleged that the CPI(M)-supported coal mafia had committed the crime with the support of a section of police at Jamuria police station.

"The local MP, coal mafia and some policemen are indulging in crime in the area. They have formed a nexus to make huge money from illegal coal mining and criminal activities," she said. "Some police and coal mafia are deliberately trying to make CPI(M) win… but, you can note it in writing, it will be a disaster for CPI(M) here this election."

Burdwan SP Humayun Kabir said, "We are conducting raids at night and have nabbed eight persons named in the FIR and seized a huge amount of arms and cartridges." He also said that a car has been detained.