TMC worker murder: Two more arrested

Two more persons were arrested on Sunday in connection with the murder of Trinamool Congress booth president of Dubrajpur, Joydeb Jana.

Jana was beaten to death allegedly by CPI(M) and Congress supporters in Sabang on Friday night when he was returning after attending an election rally in favour of the party’s candidate Nirmal Ghosh from Sabang Assembly constituency.

Police arrested Gurupada Manna and Bhim Karan from their hideouts in the wee hours. With their arrests, the police have so far caught 11 persons including three women in connection with Jana’s murder. Out of the 11 persons nine including Gurupada Manna, Gurupada, Karan, Bhim Karan, Joydeb Karan, Mahadeb Karan, Nilima Karan, Sulekha Mondal and Shyamali Karan are CPI(M) workers. Two others Sudhangshu Samanta and Niranjan Karan are Congress workers. All eleven were produced before the Midnapore Court on Sunday morning. The state’s counsel pleaded before the court to remand Gurupada Manna and Bhim Karan under the police custody. The court has, however, asked the Investigating Officer (IO) the reason behind seeking police remand of only two of the accused when Manna is not an FIR named accused.

The preliminary investigation report submitted by IO revealed that the duo was directly involved with the crime. Thus, there interrogation is needed to get information about more people who are involved in the crime.

The court remanded Manna and Karan in six day police custody. Rest nine people were sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

Police had recovered blood stained swords, iron rods and wooden logs from the house of one of the accused.

The victim’s wife Manashi Jana on Saturday raised allegation of the Congress candidate from Sabang Assembly constituency, Manas Bhuniya’s involvement in the incident. FIR was lodged with Dubrajpur police station against 22 people including Bhuniya. Trinamool Congress had demanded his arrest.

Jana’s family members on Sunday raised apprehension of being attacked soon after the elections. “They CPI(M) and Congress workers are now keeping the low key and will unleash red terror once the results are out,” said a family member of the victim.

Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy on Sunday went to the Election Commission office and demanded immediate steps in connection with the Sabang incident. He later said that five Trinamool Congress leaders and workers including Jana were killed since the vote was announced in the state. “Jana’s murder was a well planned one. Moreover, it is a plan to create violence in the state during the Assembly elections,” Roy said.

 Roy maintained that he has urged the Commission to take steps so that outsiders cannot sneak into the state through Jharkhand and Odisha borders to unleash terror in the state during the elections.