Trinamool leaders' murder: One more arrested

Kolkata, July 13 (IANS) Another person has been arrested in connection with the recent murder of three Trinamool Congress leaders at Canning in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district.

Arrested late on Tuesday night, Ebaidullah Mondal is one of the six accused named in the FIR for murder of a local Trinamool Congress panchayat member, Swapan Majhi and two local Trinamool Congress booth presidents, Bhutnath Pramanik and Jhantu Halder in broad daylight on July 7.

However, the remaining five named in the FIR, including the prime accused Rafiqul, are still absconding.

This is the second arrest in this connection.

Earlier, on July 9, police arrested Aftafuddin, though he was not mentioned in the FIR. It was learnt that Aftafuddin acted as the guide of the assailants in the murder process, shadowed the victims constantly on the day of crime and kept on informing the killers about the victim's movement all through.

As on date, two theories have evolved over the murder of the three local Trinamool Congress leaders. The first theory is that of an old enmity between the victim panchayat member, Swapan Majhi and the prime accused, Rafiqul, who is old charge-sheeter and was also involved in the local narcotics trade.

The second theory that has evolved is relating to the infighting with the local Trinamool Congress leaders in the Caning area. This theory has been strengthened as family members of Rafiqul have claimed that he was an active Trinamool Congress member. However, the local Trinamool Congress leaders have denied having any association of the party with Rafiqul.

In fact, few days before his murder, Majhi has informed the local Trinamool Congress MLA from Canning (West) assembly constituency, Paresh Ram das as well as the local police that he was apprehending life threat.

There questions are being raised on why adequate security arrangements were not made for him.