Police in Cooch Behar on Monday claimed having cracked the Sunday murder of a relative of a BJP rural poll candidate, saying the crime had links with a love affair and not with politics.
On Sunday, Sambhu Das, 28, of Dinhata was found dead. His family members and BJP leaders alleged that Trinamul was behind the murder to exert pressure on Bisakha, his sister-in-law and a BJP candidate of a local panchayat seat so that she would pull out of the fray.
Sumit Kumar, the district police chief, on Monday told journalists that police arrested Sujoy, Sambhu’s cousin. “We have arrested Sujoy Das, prime accused of the case, and also found two witnesses with information about the crime. Our probe is in progress,” said Kumar.
Police sources said Sambhu’s murder seemed to be the fallout of a love triangle.
Sukumar Roy, the district BJP president, said he suspected the police at the behest of Trinamul were diverting the probe.
Trinamul leaders said the BJP was trying to use the death for political dividend.
Deceased Sambhu Das. File photo
These revelations by the police come in contrast to assertions by the saffron camp, including Cooch Behar MP and junior home minister Nisith Pramanik, that Sambhu was murdered to intimidate Bisakha from pulling out of the poll fray.
The BJP had put the blame squarely on Mamata Banerjee’s party workers on Sunday after Sambhu's body was found with stab wounds.
Sukumar Roy, the district BJP president of Cooch Behar, as well as the deceased’s family members, however, are not ready to buy the theory of a love affair.
“We suspect that the police are acting at the behest of Trinamul and trying to divert the investigation. They are trying to malign the victim and the family with false theories,” said Roy.
Trinamul leaders on Monday said that the BJP was trying to use deaths for political dividends.
“The BJP is doing politics over dead bodies. We are not a weak political force to have to intimidate or resort to criminal activities to win rural elections. Our party is far ahead of others,” said a Trinamul leader.