Kaliachak police in Malda arrested a suspected kingpin of a drug cartel from Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

Devendra Ahuja, nabbed from Agra, will be brought to Malda on Monday.

The district Trinamul leadership alleged Ahuja is a leader of a BJP-backed trade union. BJP leaders denied the charge.

Sources said that recently, a team of the special task force of state police raided the house of a migrant worker and recovered Rs 37 lakh in cash, and arrested a woman. Also, last month, police arrested two others for peddling drugs in Malda. Their interrogations revealed Ahuja’s name as “kingpin”.

“A special team was formed which went to Agra and arrested him. He will be brought here in transit remand for interrogation. There is information that he has links with drug smugglers of other districts of Bengal with international borders,” said a police source.

Malda district Trinamul president Abdul Rahim Boxi claimed Ahuja is a trade union leader of BJP.

“People like Devendra Ahuja work for the BJP. Leaders of the party here should stop their tall talks,” said Boxi.

“We do not have any information about the arrested person,” said Amlan Bhaduri, a BJP district general secretary.

Murder slur on wife, sons

A 45-year-old resident of a Malda village was found dead on Sunday morning at home.

When Chand Roy’s neighbours in Kanchantar-Roypara village heard the news, they intercepted his wife Ritu and accused her and their two sons Subrata and Shibai of strangulating him. Police detained Ritu. Search is on for the absconding sons.

Sources said Roy had “married” another woman, angering Ritu and the sons.

The Telegraph