The police in Malda put up posters on Sunday seeking information about two persons “wanted” in connection with the murder of Trinamool leader Dulal Sarkar.

They also announced cash rewards of ₹2 lakh for information on each of them.

The posters, which went viral on social media on Sunday, carry the photographs of Krishna Rajak alias Rohan, 30, and Bablu Yadav, 31.

Both these wanted youths are from Mahanandapally, a locality in ward 22 of Englishbazar municipality in Malda town.

Sarkar, the deceased Trinamool leader, was the councillor of this municipal ward.

Last Thursday, January 2, he was shot down by armed criminals near his plywood factory in Jhaljhalia area, off the Malda-Kotwali state highway.

He suffered bullet injuries and died on the way to Malda Medical College & Hospital.

After Sarkar’s death, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed disappointment with the district police for withdrawing his security cover in 2021.

“The police had withdrawn his security (in 2021). We lost him because of the lapses on the part of the police,” she had said in Nabanna.

Such criticism from the chief minister prompted the police to act swiftly in the case.

So far, the police have arrested five youths, including two from Bihar, who are in their early twenties.

They are in search of Rohan, whose brother Amit has also been arrested, and Bablu. Rohan is believed to have sheltered the other attackers at their house which is barely 200 metres away from Sarkar’s house in Mahanandapally.

The move by the police to mark the duo as “wanted” absconders and announce hefty cash rewards for them has become the talk of the town.

Sucharita, Bablu’s wife who has been staying separately from her husband for the past few months, sounded surprised.

Bablu, she said, is from Sahebganj in Jharkhand but has been living in Malda for years now.

“He was most probably a Trinamool supporter and participated in the party’s rallies. Dulal Sarkar knew him and us. He had even helped in securing our daughter’s admission,” she said.

“I cannot even imagine that Bablu became so mean that he murdered Dulal Sarkar,” added the wife.

Sucharita and Bablu stay separately because of a divorce case.

Bablu’s neighbours said they had no idea that he would be involved in the Sarkar murder.

“We have no inkling about his whereabouts,” said a neighbour.

Chaitali, the wife of the slain Trinamool leader, repeated on Sunday that she firmly believed the involvement of some “big shots” in her husband’s murder.

“The police have made certain arrests but I want them to nab all those who had planned the murder. After the post-funeral rites of my husband, I will go to Calcutta and meet the chief minister. I will tell her whatever I suspect about my husband’s murder,” said the bereaved wife.