Shyamal Karmakar, the prime accused in the murder of college student Sourav Chowdhury in Bamongachi in North 24 Parganas district, was arrested on Tuesday night from Rampurhat railway station in Birbhum district, police said on Wednesday.
He has been remanded to 14 days police custody.
Karmakar was absconding since the body of Chowdhury was found beside the railway track near Duttapukur on July 5. Eight persons had been arrested so far in connection with the murder, said Tanmay Roychowdhury, Superintendent of Police of North 24 Parganas. “Karmakar has confessed to the crime. He was nabbed at the station by our police personnel dressed in civil clothes.
“In a bid to avoid identification by the police, Karmakar had shaved his head. The statements of six of the accused were recorded and we have started investigating [the case] on the basis of the statements,” Mr. Roychowdhury told mediapersons.
Chowdhury was believed to be a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party and had been opposing anti-social activities in his locality, allegedly run by Karmakar.
Chowdhury’s family members and neighbours said Karmakar had left the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and joined the Trinamool Congress recently. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and CPI(M) politburo member Surjya Kanta Mishra visited Chowdhury’s family and said that killers’ political loyalties should not be considered while punishing them for any crime.
Alleging that efforts were on to hush up the issue, Chowdhury’s family and the State unit of the BJP have demanded a CBI probe into the case.
