In a major breakthrough, police have arrested Krishna Rajak, alias Rohan, the main accused in the January 2 murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) vice-president Dulal Sarkar in Malda. Rajak was apprehended on Friday morning from Katihar, Bihar, after being on the run for nearly four months.
The arrest brings the total number of people held in the case to nine, while one accused, Bablu Yadav, remains absconding. A reward of Rs2 lakh had been announced for information leading to Rajak’s capture.
Dulal Sarkar, a five-time councillor of the English Bazar Municipality, was shot dead in broad daylight. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on January 2, when Sarkar was visiting his plywood factory at Jhaljhalia on the Malda-Kotwali State Highway. He was chased by assailants on a bike and shot three times while trying to hide in a shop.
The murder sparked massive political outrage, prompting a swift investigation. Among those arrested earlier was Narendra Nath Tiwari, a prominent TMC leader and former chairman of English Bazar Municipality, who has been named the main conspirator in the police charge sheet.
According to police, Krishna Rajak acted as the mediator between Tiwari and the shooters, helping coordinate the murder plot. Rajak, once a supporter of Sarkar, reportedly turned against him after a dispute over property.
He was produced in a Malda court and has been remanded to seven days of police custody. Authorities continue to pursue Bablu Yadav and are collaborating with other states to track him down.
