Two more associates of Tajemul Islam aka JCB were arrested on Wednesday night for their alleged role in the flogging of a man and a woman at Chopra in North Dinajpur district as police continued to look for more people who had been involved in the incident on June 28.

A court in Islampur on Thursday remanded Taherul Islam and Abdul Rauf in police custody for five days.

Joby Thomas, the superintendent of police of Islampur police district, said: “We have arrested two more persons in connection with the incident. Our officers are scanning the video which went viral on social media to identify all those who were involved in the beating.”

So far, the police have arrested four persons, including JCB, for beating the man and the woman at Lakshmipur in Chopra for their alleged extramarital affair. The "punishment" was meted out to the duo at a kangaroo court.

On Thursday, a four-member team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reached Chopra from Delhi and spoke to the man and his alleged fiancee at their homes.

“The team also visited the local panchayat office and spoke to elected representatives. They gathered information about the incident from the local people,” said a source.

The villagers didn't, however, divulge much before the NHRC representatives for fear of Trinamool Congress supporter Tajemul and the gang.

“We don’t want to antagonise JCB and his associates. If they come to know that we have provided information to the human rights team, we might face consequences,” said a villager.

CBI probe demand

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, has demanded a CBI probe into the flogging.

On Thursday, Adhikari addressed a public meeting in Raiganj where the Assembly by-election would be held on July 10.

From Raiganj, Adhikari, Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh, who is the chief whip of the BJP in the Assembly, and some other MLAs reached the Chopra police station.

“We met the inspector-in-charge at the police station. Goons like Tajemul (Islam) unleashed a reign of terror here as they enjoyed the patronage of local (Trinamool) MLA Hamidul Rahaman. The person (JCB) had 12 cases pending against him, including one related to a murder, and yet, he was roaming freely. We want the state to hand over the investigation to the CBI,” said Adhikari.

Rahaman, the Nandigram MLA has alleged, runs a “parallel administration” in Chopra. “These goondas are used to rig elections and for other illegal activities. They grab tea estates, land of tribals and other communities and sell plots at higher prices. Such activities should stop,” Adhikari added.