A Trinamool Congress leader from Sainthia in Birbhum was gunned down by unidentified criminals early on Sunday.
According to a source, Pijush Ghosh, 45, a functionary of the Sainthia panchayat samiti and the president of a local gram panchayat, left his residence in Srinidhipur village after receiving a phone call.
Later, his body was discovered by villagers near his home. He was shot in the head from point-blank range.
Police have detained three persons, including two women — one of whom is an eyewitness to the murder. However, she was unable to identify the assailant.
“We have detained three persons and started a probe into the murder to find the actual motive behind the crime,” said Birbhum police chief Amandeep.
A Trinamool source said the murder appeared to be because of personal rivalry and not politically motivated.
“We are concerned about such a brutal murder using firearms in a remote area that is otherwise peaceful. Let the police arrest the main culprit and uncover the motive,” said Abhijit Sinha, the Trinamool MLA from Labhpur, who visited the deceased’s house
on Sunday.
A source said the police are investigating all possible angles.
Ghosh was reportedly involved in the sand business in the area, a local source said.
One of the women, in front of whom the Trinamool leader was killed, told cops that Ghosh had come to her house around 2am on Sunday.
“Though it seems to be more of a personal than a political murder, the truth will be known once the police complete their probe. It may be over local politics over the control of sand mines,” said a Trinamool source in Birbhum.