TMC leader in Cooch Behar held over killing

TT, Jul 28, 2018, Cooch Behar: A Trinamul leader in Cooch Behar has been arrested over the attack and death of Majid Ansari, a Trinamul Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) worker and second-year student.

Kalim Mian's arrest on Thursday night followed protests by TMCP supporters and students across the town after Ansari, shot by a rival group of the student wing on July 13, died in hospital on Wednesday.

A number of Trinamul leaders, including north Bengal development Rabindranath Ghosh, had spoken in Kalim's favour and claimed he had been falsely implicated.

On Friday, a strike by students called to protest Ansari's murder turned into a general shutdown.

Shops and establishments remained closed, private vehicles were off the roads and only some state buses plied. Government offices were open but most educational institutions were closed.

Kalim, interrogated first and later taken into custody, is a prominent face in the town and a next-door neighbour of minister Ghosh.

Police sources said Kalim had been charged with murder, criminal conspiracy and harbouring offenders.

On Friday, he was remanded by a local court in seven days' police custody.

Kalim had earlier denied the charges.

Ansari was attacked and shot at while returning home with brother Sajjit following a brawl at Cooch Behar College where both study.

Majid had objected to the entry of some former students - also TMCP supporters - to the campus as admissions were going on.

Ansari had alleged that the group had wanted to disrupt the admission process and got some of its candidates enrolled at the college.