The Siliguri Metropolitan Police achieved a breakthrough in the murder of 15-year-old schoolboy Subhajit Modak of Matigara, with the arrest of Raj Paswan, suspected to be the main accused. The arrest was made on Tuesday night.
This marks the second arrest in the case. Earlier on Tuesday, a minor acquaintance of Subhajit was taken into custody for his involvement. Police said that the acquaintance led them to Paswan, who is in his mid-20s and resides in the same area.
According to authorities, Subhajit’s body was found on Monday night in a tea estate near Sukna. He had been missing since Saturday evening. Preliminary investigations suggest he was strangled, possibly with a belt. A dispute between Subhajit and his acquaintance about a personal matter, which occurred about a month ago, is believed to have escalated, ultimately leading to the murder.
Following Paswan’s arrest, over 100 residents of Simultala, including the boy’s family and neighbours, protested outside the court, demanding strict punishment and even capital punishment. Some protesters attempted to attack Paswan while he was being taken from the lock-up, but police intervened and restored order.
Paswan was later produced in court and sent to police custody for five days as investigations continue to determine if others were involved in the crime.
