The key culprit in the Bagnan BJP worker Prasanta Dey murder case was nabbed on Sunday in a combined operation by the Howrah district police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The principal culprit, known as Sheikh Saifuddin, was arrested a day after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the murdered BJP worker’s house and pledged tough action. Saifuddin has been detained and this is the 11th arrest in the murder investigation.
Dey, the vice-president of BJP’s Booth 197 under Bagnan Mondal 5 in Howrah district, was reportedly beaten to death in Santoshpur region of Bagnan in Howrah district on June 17. His relatives said Dey was severely beaten and died in hospital from his injuries. He was confirmed brought dead at Bagnan Rural Hospital and three other BJP volunteers were critically injured and sent to a nursing home for treatment.
The death sparked off a political storm with the BJP charging that the attack was politically motivated.
The CID took up the probe after the chief minister’s directive on June 21. The FIR in the case has listed 51 defendants in all, 40 of them are still absconding.
Saifuddin will be taken before a district court in Howrah later in the day and the public prosecutor will request his CID detention.
The chief minister declared on Saturday that the family of Prasanta Dey will get financial support of Rs 5 lakh in addition to the Rs 4 lakh previously given by the district administration and a contractual government job for the eldest daughter of the martyr in the BDO office. Adhikari also asked the district magistrate to promptly grant old-age pension for Dey’s parents.
After the meeting with the Chief Minister Dey’s son told mediapersons that the family sought death penalty for the culprits behind his father’s murder.
“We told the chief minister to make sure that the accused are hanged. “He assured us that the police are investigating the case and those involved will be brought to justice,” he added.
Adhikari had assured the family that the government has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against political violence and strong action will be taken against the culprits.
