Police on Sunday arrested Akshaya Gan, accused in the murder of Trinamool Congress worker Santosh Yadav in Naihati on Friday afternoon, which prompted a flurry of political accusations after the Barrackpore commissioner was transferred on Saturday.

Gan is a relative of the prime accused Rajesh Shaw.

While Rajesh remains at large, police have yet to get any major breakthrough in the case till Sunday night.

Yadav was lynched by six persons on Friday afternoon in the Gouripur of Naihati apparently due to a gang war over gaining control of the sale of land of an abandoned jute mill.

On Friday, Yadav was traveling in an e-rickshaw through Goylapara area of Gouripur when he was attacked by armed assailants. They reportedly beat him to death with bricks. While initial reports suggested Yadav was shot, police investigations, including a review of CCTV footage, indicated he was lynched.

But the discrepancy between eyewitness accounts and police findings fuelled a political firestorm.

TMC leaders, including local MLA Sanat De and MP Partha Bhowmik, initially claimed Yadav was shot and accused former MP and BJP strongman Arjun Singh of orchestrating the murder.

Barrackpore police commissioner Alok Rajoria, who visited the spot on Friday, had said there was no evidence of gunfire.

Within 24 hours, Rajoria was transferred as the DIG of the traffic department. He was replaced by Ajay Kumar Thakur.

Rajoria’s sudden transfer drew criticism from the BJP.

Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, who visited Naihati on Sunday, alleged Rajoria was “removed” for contradicting the Trinamool leadership’s claims. Majumdar asserted that Rajoria was simply stating the “truth” — that it was a case of personal rivalry and not shooting.

Following Yadav’s death, violence erupted in the area, with alleged attacks on BJP supporters’ homes. Majumdar claimed at least 25 houses were vandalised and several set ablaze. He alleged that BJP members were targeted. “The person who was killed had opened fire at others in 2021. So, if you shoot at me, you will be shot at either today or tomorrow. This is the law of the world...,” Majumdar said.

Singh on Sunday accused Trinamool MP Partha Bhowmick of inciting the violence and targeting BJP supporters. He claimed the murder was the result of a conflict between “goons” and that the BJP was being unfairly targeted. Singh also echoed the claim that Rajoria was transferred for telling the truth.

“The murder was simply a fallout of a fight between goons. A Trinamool goon was killed by another goon. Unrest is being created around the incident and BJP workers are being intimidated. Partha Bhowmik is inciting tension using criminals.... The CP told the truth and for it had to leave,” Singh said.