A day after the murder of Sourav Chowdhury, a college student at Bamongachi in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas, his family members, expressing lack of confidence in the State administration, demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the crime.
Though one person was arrested in connection with the murder, anger was seething among locals who came out in solidarity with the family members of the victim. The prime suspect in the case, Shyamal Karmakar, continued to be elusive in the day and the locals ransacked the house of one of his relative in the locality.
Alleging that there were efforts to hush up the issue, Sandip Chowdhury, the brother of the victim, said that he had no faith in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as the family was not getting any help from the administration.
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“We want a CBI probe in the matter. If we are denied this we will approach the Supreme Court,” the brother said. He said the accused in the murder of his brother had been shielded by political masters.
“Both of us used to protest against anti-social activities. So they (the miscreants) wanted to kill one of us. The miscreants were earlier sheltered by the CPI (M), and now by the Trinamool Congress,” Mr. Chowdhury said. Sourav Chowdhury was missing since Friday night. His body found beside the railway track between Duttapukur and Bamongachi stations on Saturday. According to locals, the body was chopped in several pieces. Meanwhile, shops and markets remained closed following a 12-hour shutdown, called by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist in Bamongachi area during the day.
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Leaders of political parties and representatives of rights organisations visited the area and called on the victim’s family members.
BJP State president Rahul Sinha, who met the student’s grieving parents, alleged that the police were working at the promptings of an invisible authority.
“I think there is a conspiracy behind this incident. At various stages of the conspiracy, one can see the hand of the Trinamool Congress. The family has demanded a CBI probe. I think a CBI inquiry is indeed needed,” he said.
The BJP leader urged the Chief Minister to order a CBI probe in the matter.
Mr Sinha, said that the father of the victim was a BJP supporter and the student was involved in the activities of the party during the Lok Sabha polls. But, Trinamool Congress leader and Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick said the student was associated with the student wing of the ruling party. Mr Mullick went on to say that the prime accused in the murder was associated with the BJP.