Cooch Behar: Police have arrested a man seven days after the murder of Trinamool Youth Congress leader Amar Ray at Dodearhat Market, an incident that rattled the district.
Additional District Superintendent of Police Krishna Gopal Meena announced on Sunday that the accused, Binay Ray (35), was arrested late Saturday night from Boxirhat Naka Point on the Assam-Bengal border. A firearm and four live rounds were recovered from him.
Binay, originally from Siddeshwari in Baneshwar Gram Panchayat, was living in Siliguri. Police said several criminal cases were already registered against him and he remained active in unlawful activities. He was produced before the Cooch Behar court, which remanded him to eight days of police custody for interrogation. “We believe more people were involved and investigations are underway,” said Addl. SP Meena.
On August 9, Amar Ray, son of Dawaguri Gram Panchayat Pradhan Kuntala Ray, was shot dead in broad daylight. Attackers fired two bullets to his head and two to his abdomen before fleeing on a motorcycle. Amar died instantly, while his driver was hospitalised with a leg injury.
The daylight killing has sparked serious concerns over security in the district. Police have not confirmed whether the attack was politically motivated. Sources suggest multiple angles are being examined, including party rivalry and business-related disputes.
Speaking to reporters, Amar’s mother Kuntala Ray and father Mahim Chandra Ray said: “The police are working well so far, but we want to know who the real mastermind is. Who hired these people to kill our son? The police must bring that person to light.
At present, we have faith in the administration. But if we don’t get a clear answer, we will decide our next course of action.”