Councillor life attempt: Alleged mastermind held near Burdwan

Primary investigation revealed that the arrested taxi driver, Ahmed, had driven Singh and his associate Iqbal on Thursday night from Howrah station to the city's Port area where they stayed.

SNS | Burdwan | November 16, 2024 : Kolkata: The prime accused in the attack on a TMC leader in Kolkata was detained in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district while he was trying to escape to neighbouring Jharkhand, a senior officer said on Saturday. 

The prime accused, identified as Iqbal alias Afroz Khan alias Gulzar, had ridden the other accused, Yuvraj Singh, on a two-wheeler to "murder" TMC councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) ward no 108, Sushanta Ghosh on Friday, he said.

Ghosh had a close shave on Friday evening when the handgun used by Singh to open fire at the councilor from a close range in Kasba area failed to discharge the bullet due to a mechanical fault.

The gunmen attacked Ghosh, the councillor of KMC’s Ward 108, close to his residence at Kasba yesterday evening. He had a narrow escape. Yuvraj Singh, the assailant was arrested immediately by the police.

After quizzing Yuvraj, the police came to know that Iqbal alias Afroz was the mastermind in assembling the gang. He’d absconded soon after the incident.

Iqbal was heading towards Asansol on his motorcycle when he was intercepted at Galsi, about 20 km west of Burdwan town on NH-19 during a naka checking. The East Burdwan police said that Iqbal took shelter at a hideout on EM Bypass soon after the incident and then started moving towards Asansol on his two-wheeler.