Three arrested, jailed man named as alleged mastermind in Bengal murder of Congress leader, son
Police in West Bengal have arrested three persons in connection with the murder of a local Congress leader and his lawyer son, officials said on Sunday. The investigation has also named a man currently in jail as the alleged mastermind behind the killings.
The victims were identified as Anisur Rahman, 50, a local Congress leader, and his son Abu Sufian, 24, a lawyer practising at the Krishnanagar court. The attack took place around 9.30pm on Saturday near the Nagadi railway gate in Nakashipara in Nadia district. According to police, Rahman and his son were travelling home when their vehicle was intercepted. The assailants allegedly opened fire and also attacked the duo with sharp-edged weapons. Both died on the spot due to excessive blood loss. The spot was about 200 metres from their residence.
The arrested persons were identified as Fatima Biwi, the pradhan (head) of Haranagar gram panchayat, along with Sageb Sk and Mithu Sheikh. They were produced before a Krishnanagar court and remanded to nine days in police custody. Police said Fatima Biwi's husband, Jabbar Sheikh, who is currently in jail, has been named as the alleged mastermind. However, the exact number of attackers and the number of rounds fired have not yet been established, officials said.
Additional Superintendent of Police Surajit Kumar Dey said investigators were working to establish the full sequence of events and identify all those involved. He said the investigation is at an early stage and more arrests are not ruled out. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, and further legal proceedings are underway.
The killings have triggered a political row, with opposition leaders alleging political involvement. Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly and a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, claimed that operatives of the ruling Trinamool Congress were behind the attack. He said police had informed him that Jabbar Sheikh was the alleged mastermind. "His wife, who is a Trinamool panchayat pradhan, has also been arrested. Trinamool operatives committed the murder. The rule of law applies to everyone," Adhikari said.
Congress leader Tipu Sultan also alleged that Jabbar Sheikh had orchestrated the killings from jail. "Jabbar orchestrated this from jail using miscreants to gain control of the area. If the administration conducts a proper and impartial investigation, everything will become crystal clear," he said. These allegations have not yet been established by the police investigation.
Former Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury condemned the killings in a social media post, raising concerns over security and political freedom. "Such an atrocious incident on Independence Day raises serious questions regarding public security and political freedom," he said.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar observed a Black Day in protest against the killings and alleged that the attack was pre-planned and politically motivated. "A number of panchayat functionaries in Nadia wanted to join Congress and had contacted Anisur Rahman for that purpose. BJP did not want that to happen," he claimed.
The Trinamool Congress has not yet issued an official response to the allegations. Police are continuing their investigation to determine the motive, establish the number of people involved and ascertain the precise circumstances leading to the double murder. They are also examining whether the attack was linked to local political rivalries, officials said.
