BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari demands court-monitored probe into TMC leader's murder in Malda

Kolkata: Senior West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday claimed that veteran Trinamool Congress leader's murder in Malda district was part of a deep-rooted conspiracy and called for a court-monitored probe by a central agency.

Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, told reporters that he knew the slain TMC councillor of Malda Englishbazar municipality, Dulal Sarkar, for years.

"The cold-blooded murder of Sarkar in broad daylight must be investigated under court monitoring by a central agency. Despite CM Mamata Banerjee's instruction to police to arrest all those behind the incident, I think police won't be able to unearth the conspiracy. I wish Sarkar's widow makes a request for a court-monitored probe by a central agency for justice," he said.

Adhikari, who switched to BJP from TMC in December 2020 ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, is one of the key opponents of Banerjee and her party in the past four years.

The Nandigram MLA said the incident was proof of the worsening law and order situation in the state, which he claimed had become a "killing field" under Banerjee’s rule.

In response, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said according to the CM's instructions, police were thoroughly investigating the murder and making arrests. He emphasised that there should be no politicisation of the matter, as police were doing their job.

Police have so far arrested five persons in connection with Sarkar's murder, who was shot dead by armed men in Malda district on Thursday morning. They have been identified as Sameer Akhtar and Mohammad Abdul Gani from Bihar's Katihar district, and Tinku Ghosh, Abhijeet Ghosh, and Amit Raja from Malda.

Sarkar, also known as Babla, was shot multiple times in the head from close range after being chased into a shop in English Bazar town’s Jhaljhalia More while attempting to flee from the bike-borne assailants.