A day after a TMC worker was killed and two others were injured in a daylight attack in Malda’s Kaliachak town, police on Wednesday arrested one person who is said to be a close associate of Zakir Sheikh, the alleged prime accused.

Since Tuesday, police have detained at least 10 people in connection with the murder and have been questioning them.

“We arrested the person (identified as Hamza) after his replies were inconsistent. We are working to determine his role in the incident,” PTI quoted an unnamed police officer, as saying.

The accused was later produced at a local court, which sent him to 10 days of police remand.

Meanwhile, police said they have launched a massive manhunt to nab Zakir and have deployed drones and sniffer dogs to search him in the mango orchards of Kaliachak where he is said to be hiding.

On Tuesday, TMC worker Ataul Haque, alias Hasu Sheikh, was killed, while party’s Noda-Jadupur zonal president (anchal sabhapati) Bakul Sheikh and another party worker were injured after unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at them during a road foundation-laying ceremony. Hasu Sheikh was also attacked with bricks on the head by the assailants, it is learnt.

The incident took place just 12 days after a local TMC councillor, Dulal Sarkar, was killed in the district.

The brother of Hasu Sheikh alleged that Zakir, a former Congress member who recently joined the TMC, orchestrated the attack due to a longstanding feud with Bakul Sheikh over territorial dominance.

Hasu’s wife said, “They had come to kill Bakul, but instead my husband was murdered by Zakir and his men. We have not lodged any police complaint. We want justice.”

On the factionalism in the party’s Malda unit – earlier, a TMC leader was arrested for the murder of party councillor Dulal Sarkar — party MLA Abdul Gani said, “Obviously factionalism is a problem here for the party. The incident is unacceptable, sad and shocking.” When asked whether party infighting resulted in such incidents, Gani replied, “It seems to be a struggle for power within the party. It is fortunate.”