A Trinamul supporter in Malda district, missing for 12 days, was found dead with his throat slashed and floating in a pond barely 500 metres from home on Wednesday.
Family members of victim Abdul Barik, 42, alleged that Trinamul leader Mohammad Bashir, who has political rivalry with Abdul’s uncle Unsha Haque, abducted and murdered Abdul. Police have arrested the accused and four others from Bihar.
Sources said Haque and Bashir, both of in Katlamari under Harishchandrapur police station of Malda district, head two factions of Trinamul.
“Their rivalry is well known, both want control over the area. Their supporters often got into fights” said a resident.
On May 14, Abdul, Haque’s nephew, went missing. His family informed police.
“We came to know Bashir abducted him. Today (Wednesday), his body was found floating in a pond. We want police to take steps against Bashir and his aides involved in the murder,” Haque alleged.
“Bashir was trying to flee to Nepal via Bihar. On interrogation, he gave information based on which four others were arrested,” said Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Malda district chief.
Trinamul leaders of Harishchandrapur distanced themselves from the crime. “The incident is the fallout of an old rivalry between two families. There is nothing political in it and the law will take its course,” said Hazrat Ali, Trinamul president of Harishchandrapur -II block.
Husband ‘murderer’
Mira Thakur, 40, was on Wednesday afternoon allegedly hacked to death by her drunk husband at Kandaran area under Samsi police outpost of Malda. Accused Rajesh Thakur surrendered to police and was taken into custody.
Local sources said that Mira and Rajesh were estranged when she could not bear his “torture” and left home one-and-a-half years ago for Siliguri to work as a domestic help. She returned home on Tuesday evening. and the couple allegedly fought. On Wednesday afternoon, Rajesh allegedly attacked his wife with a sharp weapon.
Her shouts alerted neighbours. Rajesh fled the spot. Neighbours took Mira to the Malda Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared her dead. Later, Rajesh reached the local police outpost and surrendered.