Chaitali Sarkar, the wife of murdered Trinamool leader Dulal Sarkar, who received state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya at her Malda home on Monday, hinted that political rivalry might have led to her husband’s killing.

On January 2, TMC leader and Englishbazar ward 22 councillor Sarkar was gunned down by armed criminals in a shop near his plywood factory in Malda’s Jhaljhalia area.

Police have so far arrested five youths, all of whom are in their early twenties and suspected to be contract killers.

The police are also in search of two others from Malda and have announced cash rewards of ₹2 lakh for information on either of them.

“We had heard that Dulal Sarkar would have been placed in a responsible position, either in the civic body or in the party. Some were envious of my husband’s imminent rise and they might be behind the murder. People here know who they are,” said Chaitali.

On Monday, the “shraddh” ceremony for the murdered Sarkar was held at his residence in Malda town’s Mahanandapally area.

Chaitali, who is also a councillor (ward 20) in the same civic body, said: “In politics, competition is common. But competition should not get so ghastly that one has to get brutally murdered for it. I will meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee and will share all the information I have.”

Her comments led to repercussions within the Trinamool ranks and also across the district.

A senior Trinamool leader pointed out that the police were still silent about the motive of the murder.

“On one hand, the police are silent. On the other hand, Chaitali Sarkar is coming up with statements that broadly hint at political rivalry,” said the leader.

Minister Bhattacharya, who met Chaitali and her son Abhinava at their home, assured them that the party stood by them.

“I came here according to the chief minister (Mamata Banerjee)’s instructions. She made it clear she would not tolerate any negligence in the probe of this heinous killing,” Bhattacharya said.

She said that the assailants found critical security gaps and hence got the opportunity to murder Sarkar.

“Those who have been arrested so far are contract killers. We want the police to arrest those who hired them,” the minister added.

Chandrima said Mamata had reprimanded the Malda district police for withdrawing Sarkar’s security cover.

“We will find out who decided to withdraw his security and thereafter the chief minister will take proper action,” she added.

On Monday evening, a two-member team of forensic experts reached Malda. They went to the spot in Jhaljhalia where Sarkar was shot dead and examined it,
said sources.