According to the police, four persons were arrested on the basis of statements of eyewitnesses. A TMC leader was shot dead in Howrah district, police said on Tuesday. The Sankrail police identified the deceased as Wajhul Haque, a local minority cell leader of the party. Four men were arrested in connection with the case, police said. The alleged incident took place in Nazirganj, police added.
The victim’s family members claimed that Haque’s protest against “an extortionist in the area” led to the murder. They told police that on Monday evening, Haque was returning home after a meeting with party workers. The assailants accosted him around 10:30 pm at Begum Rokeya Lane in Lichubagan. They fired three rounds, targetting him from point-blank range, police said. He was taken to a private hospital on Andul Road where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
This comes days after a TMC leader’s murder in Canning. A TMC leader, who did not wish to be named, said, “He (Haque) was one of our most active leaders. In the Assembly election earlier this year, he made it tough for BJP to score over TMC in his area. Our party got lots of votes from there. This might have irked the BJP. We suspect that BJP supporters may be behind the crime.”
The BJP, however, denied the allegations. A BJP leader said, “The BJP does not believe in or promote murder politics. The TMC is known for violence. The police must find out who all were involved in the crime.”
According to the police, four persons were arrested on the basis of statements of eyewitnesses. An officer said, “Further investigation is on. More people may be involved.”
Meanwhile, six persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of a TMC leader in Canning. “Three more persons were arrested by the investigation team on Tuesday, taking the total number of arrests to six,” said an officer. Two of the three held on Tuesday, Akbar Gazi (37) and Akkas Kazi (34), were apprehended from Khakurdaha, Joynagar police station. Police have seized a vehicle used to commit the crime.
Moharam Sheikh (35), youth wing president of the Trinamool Nikarighata gram panchayat, was shot at Canning in South 24 Parganas district on Saturday evening and succumbed the next day.
The ruling party blamed the BJP for the killing — a claim rejected by the Opposition party.
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