West Bengal Murshidabad Violence: STF Arrests Key Accused In Chilling Murder Case

One of the main suspects in the heinous murder of a father and son during the recent unrest was taken into custody by the West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF) and Special Investigating Team (SIT), marking a significant advancement in the Murshidabad violence case. On Saturday, Ziaul Sheikh, the suspect, was captured from his hiding place in Chopra, which is in the Uttar Dinajpur district. Sheikh, who lived in Sulitala Purbapara, close to Jafrabad, allegedly planned and encouraged a mob to attack the victims' house, according to police officials.

The event happened on April 12 during demonstrations against Waqf Act revisions in the Jafrabad neighborhood of Shamsherganj, Murshidabad. Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan Das were discovered dead and suffering from several stab wounds. According to authorities, Sheikh had been evading justice ever since the incident, and CCTV footage and data from mobile towers showed that he was present when the attack occurred.

Murshidabad Double Murder Case: Fourth Arrest

The fourth arrest in the continuing inquiry into the double murder is that of Ziaul Sheikh. Kalu Nadar from Murarai in Birbhum district, his brother Dildar from the Bangladeshi border under Suti authorities Station, and Inzmam Ul Haque from Suripara, a nearby village of Jafrabad, had previously been taken into custody by authorities.

"This person is one of the prime accused who conspired and incited a mob to vandalize the deceased's residence and carried out the murders of Harogobindo and Chandan Das on April 12," a senior police official said. In relation to the violence in Murshidabad, authorities have filed more than 100 FIRs, and 276 people have been taken into custody thus far.

BJP Leader Alleges Targeted Attacks on Hindu Families

The violence has taken a communal turn, with BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya alleging systematic targeting of Hindu families during the riots. In a post on social media platform X, Malviya claimed that homes belonging to Hindu residents in Murshidabad were marked with ink before being set on fire. "Shocking details emerging from Murshidabad! Before the arson attacks began, homes belonging to Hindu families were marked with ink and kept under close watch. After days of surveillance, these properties were systematically torched," he wrote.

Malviya further alleged that two local Muslim residents had provided attackers with information to help them identify Hindu-owned properties. He added that such incidents reportedly occur frequently, especially on Fridays. The situation in Murshidabad remains tense as investigations continue and political leaders voice growing concerns about religiously targeted violence in the state.