KOLKATA: Two days after three TMC workers were killed in broad daylight in Canning, South 24 Parganas, police made their first breakthrough on Saturday by arresting an accomplice of the prime suspect. Mohammad Aftabuddin, the accomplice of alleged mastermind Rafikul Sheikh, was arrested from a hideout in Canning. The investigators are yet to ascertain the motive behind the triple murder. The FIR mentioned six persons, including Rafikul, who are known to be TMC activists in the area.
‘‘Preliminary investigation revealed Aftabuddin had followed Swapan Majhi, the member of a gram panchayat, for three days before he was shot and hacked to death along with two others. He also provided the killers' information that Swaoan would be going to the local party office in the morning of the fateful day,’’ said a police officer.
Police sources said Aftabuddin had also followed Swapan and the other victims, booth presidents Bhootnath Pramanik and Jhantu Majhi, and passed the information of their movement to the assailants.
The incident took place around 9 am on Thursday when the three victims were going to the local party office. “We are examining the call records of the cellphones of the accused to know whom they can contact. We have alerted our counterparts at other places in the state,’’ said the police officer.