Three persons arrested in connection with murder of Trinamool councilor in Malda, hunt for ‘mastermind’ – West Bengal News

West Bengal Police have arrested three persons in connection with murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) councilor Dulal Sarkar in Malda. Police sources said the killing was intentional and an extensive reconnaissance had been carried out beforehand.

Sarkar, also known as Babla, was shot dead by men on bikes on Thursday morning. CCTV footage showed two assailants opening fire on the TMC leader as he tried to escape to what appeared to be an office. Immediately after the shooting, the attackers fled.

The three arrested suspects, including two from Bihar and one from English Bazar in Malda, were produced before a district court in Malda on Friday. According to police sources, the accused are contract killers. Authorities informed the court that the alleged perpetrator of the murder remains at large. Investigators requested 14 days of police custody for further questioning of the suspects.

The court official said that no private lawyer from the Malda Bar Association appeared in the accused’s case. Legal representation was provided through Malda District Legal Aid, which filed a bail application in their case.

However, a court headed by Justice Ratan Kumar Gupta rejected the plea and ordered 14-day police custody of the three.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pointed a gun at her own police over the murder, condemning the Malda Superintendent of Police.

“Dulal Sarkar’s security cover was withdrawn recently. How could such negligence have occurred? This is unacceptable,” Banerjee remarked at an administrative meeting at the state secretariat, calling the official “useless”.

Banerjee also expressed condolences for Sarkar, describing him as a “close associate” and a dedicated party worker since the formation of the TMC.

This is the second targeted attack on a TMC leader in less than two months. November 15 Trinamool councilor Sushanta Ghosh had little chance of escaping when the attacker’s weapon malfunctioned. The Kolkata Police formed a special investigation team to probe the incident, which also led to the arrest of suspects linked to professional killers from Bihar.

Six weeks later, Dulal Sarkar was shot dead in broad daylight. The investigation into Sarkar’s murder is ongoing and police are focusing on discovering the identity of the mastermind behind the attack.