KOLKATA: West Bengal Police on Sunday arrested one of the prime accused in the murder of a man and his son in violence-hit Murshidabad district. This marks the fourth arrest in connection with the killings at Jafrabad village in Shamsherganj, amid communal unrests earlier this month during protests over amendments to the Waqf Act.
The arrested person, identified as Ziaul Sheikh, resident of neighbouring Sulitala Purbapara, had been absconding since April 12. A joint operation by the WB Police Special Task Force and Special Investigating Team tracked him down to Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district on Saturday.
“This person is one of the prime accused who had conspired and instigated a mob that vandalised the victims’ residence and killed Haragobindo Das and his son Chandan Das on April 12,” a senior official said, adding that the authorities have recovered CCTV footage and mobile tower records confirming Sheikh’s presence at the crime scene.
Earlier, police arrested three others – Kalu Nadar, Dildar, and Inzmam Ul Haque – in connection with the killings.
Kalu was arrested from neighbouring Birbhum district, while his brother Dildar was held from areas adjoining the Bangladesh border under Suti police station in Murshidabad. The third accused was apprehended from neighbouring Suripara village.
Violence erupted on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, leaving three dead and hundreds displaced. Police have registered over 100 FIRs related to the Murshidabad violence, with 276 people arrested so far, the official said.
Meanwhile, in an open letter made public on Saturday night, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to maintain peace, while alleging that the BJP and RSS were using the backdrop of violence to further provoke communal divide.
In a sharp rebuttal to Banerjee’s claim, BJP West Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya on Sunday demanded the CM’s resignation for the alleged failure of her administration to prevent the violence, also accusing her of a “vicious false campaign” against the BJP.