Syndicate murder fury- Murder in Odlabari.. clash among rival groups

A car owned by murder suspect Sohail Sarkar that was set on fire at Odlabari on Thursday.
Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, Jalpaiguri, 21 December: Residents of Odlabari in the Dooars witnessed a series of clashes since Wednesday evening following the murder of a local youth associated with a syndicate dealing in extraction and sale of minor minerals from riverbeds.

The murder prompted the youth's associates to torch a number of vehicles of the rival lobby. On Thursday morning, they ransacked house of the prime suspect and his relatives. Later, they attacked the police, prompting senior officials to rush to the spot and clamping of prohibitory orders. More policemen have been deployed.

Sources said Mohammad Ilias and Sohail Sarkar - both engaged in the job of extracting sand, pebbles and stones from rivers like the Leesh and the Ghish that flow close to Odlabari - had been locked in a long-running feud. "Both lead groups of youths and want to have complete control over the trade," said a police source.

On Wednesday, the duo had a spat when Sohail stabbed Ilias. He was rushed to a hospital in Malbazar where doctors pronounced him dead.

As the word spread, Ilias's supporters ransacked Sohail's house in Odlabari and torched a motorcycle, an excavator and a truck. Sohail's family fled.

On Thursday, Sohail surrendered at the Malbazar police station. But that did not stop the violence. As Ilias's body reached his area on Thursday afternoon, fresh violence erupted. Mobs attacked policemen with bricks. The cops retaliated with teargas shells.

Later, additional forces were sent the spot to bring the situation under control and Jalpaiguri superintendent of police visited the area in the evening.

"He (Sohail) will be produced in court tomorrow. We are in search of some others involved in the murder and the violence," police chief Maiti said.