Investigators believe that circumstantial evidence suggests that contract killers from outside the region were hired to murder Bapi Roy, a Trinamool leader from Islampur, on Saturday evening.

While the 35-year-old leader and husband of Lipi Roy, a member of Islampur panchayat samiti, died, Mohammad Sajjad, another TMC leader and the husband of the pradhan of Ramganj 2, a panchayat located under Islampur block, was shot in his back and is currently under treatment in a Siliguri hospital.

Investigators said that footage of CCTV cameras installed in the hotel and other places revealed that the killers used both two-wheelers and a car to reach their targets.

It is learnt that the car was parked at a distance from the hotel and from
there, the gang reached the spot by a two-wheeler which they used to flee after the
operation.

“None of the miscreants, who opened fire, cared to mask their faces to hide identities. It seems that they were very sure that the locals would not recognise them,” said a police official on condition of anonymity.

The firing took place at a roadside dhaba in Islampur.

“Also, the fact that miscreants fired several rounds to ensure the death of the victims suggests they were professional killers. At least eight to nine bullets pierced Roy’s between his head and chest,” the officer said, adding that local criminals usually flee after firing a couple of rounds.

“But those who shot the TMC leaders left calmly once their operation was over,” said a senior police official.

Investigators further anticipated that the killer gang had accurate information about the spot where the Trinamool leaders were holding the meeting at the hotel.

“After scaring others by firing a couple of rounds the killers reached the exact spot where the meeting was being held,” observed the official.

Lipi Roy, an elected Trinamool member of the local panchayat and Bapi’s wife claimed that he was a victim of a conspiracy.

“Police have failed to crack the case even in 48 hours. We want a CBI probe to identify and arrest the culprits,” she said, hinting toward a bigger conspiracy.

Kanhaiyalal Agarwal, district Trinamool president, however, said that he was of the opinion that the incident did not have any connection with politics.

Senior police officials said that they were exploring all possible angles.