Cop custody for arson

TT, Alipurduar, Sept. 17: Jaigaon Merchant’s Association secretary and the president of Kalchini Block Byabsayee Samity, R.S. Gupta who was arrested yesterday in connection with an arson attack in a police station, was remanded in police custody for eight days.

The arson attack took place at Jaigaon police station on Sunday morning after a trader was found murdered near his house.

The superintendent of police, Alipurduar, Anup Jaiswal, said: “We have arrested Gupta because of his involvement in arson and other activities.”

He has been booked under several sections of the IPC related to rioting and arson.

Six sections are non-bailable.

Md. Rafi, the public prosecutor at the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court, today said: “On the basis of a prayer submitted by the police, he has been remanded in police custody for eight days.”

Today, traders observed a 12-hour business strike in Jaigaon town to protest Gupta’s arrest.

Krishnapada Basu Ball, secretary of Kalchini Block Byabsayee Samity, said: “When a trader is killed brutally, other businessmen would definitely feel insecure. But what the police have done is wrong. Gupta can not be involved in such activities.”

Prasenjit Dey, secretary of the Alipurduar Chamber of commerce, said: “We think the charges brought against Gupta are false.”