Congress councillor’s brother arrested for his murder in West Bengal

Police on Saturday arrested the brother of Tapan Kandu, a Congress councillor who was murdered in West Bengal’s Purulia district in March this year, in connection with the crime.

According to senior police officers, it was Naren Kandu, the victim’s brother, who played the role of the mastermind. The police had earlier arrested his son Deepak Kandu.

Two newly elected municipal councillors — Tapan Kandu, a Congress councillor from Purulia and Anupam Dutta, a Trinamool Congress councillor from North 24 Parganas – were murdered on March 13, triggering a political storm in West Bengal.

Tapan Kandu’s wife, Purnima, however, has alleged the involvement of the Purulia police and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). She filed a petition before the Calcutta high court last week. The police have submitted a detailed report to the court on the investigations so far.

On Friday, the police had arrested an alleged criminal from Bokaro in Jharkhand in connection with the murder. The man, identified as Kalebar Singh, has a criminal record and is suspected to be one of the hit-men who murdered Kandu. Police have also arrested a local businessman.

In the recently held municipal polls, Deepak Kandu contested the election from Jhala municipality on a TMC ticket against his uncle Tapan Kandu and lost.