Main accused in West Bengal lynching arrested

Kolkata, July, 07: Another person, the main accused, in connection with the alleged lynching of a 20- year-old-man in West Bengal's Malda district, has been arrested, police said.

With the arrest of the prime accused, the number of persons arrested in the case went up to four, the police said.

The victim, Sanaul Sheikh, was assaulted allegedly by some locals at Baishnabnagar Bazar on June 26 after he was found stealing a bike.

Police had started a case following a complaint lodged by his mother.

"Bappa Ghosh, the main accused of Baishnabnagar lynching case has been arrested at Pakur in Jharkhand," the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Malda district, Alok Rajoria, said.

A purported video of the attack had gone viral and some of the culprits were identified on the basis of it.

Two accused were arrested on June 30 and another one was arrested on July 3.

Sheikh was initially taken to Bedrabad primary health centre, from where he was referred to Malda Medical College and Hospital.

He was later shifted to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, where he died on June 29.

A joint delegation of the Left Front and the Congress led by CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty and Leader of opposition in the state Assembly, Abdul Mannan visited Baishnabnagar on Saturday and spoke to victim's family.

"Since Lok Sabha elections results, BJP in various parts of the state and country have been involved in lynching of people over Jai Sri Ram slogans. Our constitution allows everybody to practice his or her religion. BJP is trying to snatch away that right. But we would never allow it to happen.

We would fight till end," Mannan said.

He also accused ruling TMC in Bengal of making space for the saffron party in the state by pursuing communal policies and poaching on elected representatives of Congress and CPI(M).