Kolkata Sep 28 (PTI) The CID and Bengal police’s STF on Monday began an investigation into the killing of a booth-level BJP worker who was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in West Bengal’s Birbhum district a day ago, officers said.
Senior police officers, including the Birbhum Superintendent of Police Bidit Raj Bandyopadhyay, supervised the investigation on Monday.
A police dog was also brought in, and the police are examining the route the assailants had taken after killing the BJP worker.
“All possible angles are being examined, and some leads have emerged. Details will be shared later,” the SP said.
The incident took place on Sunday night in the Millpara area of Trishulapatti under Bolpur Municipality’s Ward 12.
The deceased, identified as Chandan Bhalla (47), was the BJP president of booth number 202 in Ward 11 of the Bolpur Municipality and worked as a clerk at the state government’s Land and Land Reforms Department. He was also involved in land transactions, a senior police official said.
Police said Bhalla had left his home to show a plot of land to a prospective buyer when two men riding a motorcycle allegedly approached him and fired at him from close range before fleeing.
A complaint was lodged at Bolpur police station by his younger son, Shubhrakanti Bhalla. No one was named as an accused in the complaint.
A six-member forensic team collected samples, including blood, and investigated motorcycle tyre marks and footprints from the scene of the crime.
Investigators are also examining the type of firearm used, the distance from which the shots were fired and the possible source of the weapon, police said.
CCTV footage from the area has been collected and is being examined to establish the movements of the suspected assailants before and after the incident.
Bhalla’s call records and his last communications are also being scrutinised.
The family has alleged that the killing could have been politically motivated.
Bhalla’s wife Shyamali claimed her husband was called out of his home and shot dead, demanding the arrest and punishment of those responsible.
Birbhum BJP organisational district president Uday Shankar Bandyopadhyay demanded an investigation and urged the police to identify and arrest the culprits after a proper probe.
“The police are examining all possible angles, including political rivalry and a dispute linked to land transactions,” the SP said.
He said investigators are also looking into the possible source of the firearm, including whether weapons entered the area through routes connecting the border districts with Jharkhand and further from Munger in Bihar. PTI SUS NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.