More than four years after the brutal killing of BJP Kankurgachi leader Abhijit Sarkar during the post-poll violence that rocked West Bengal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested one of the key accused, Arun De, from North 24-Parganas district.
De, a resident of Girish Vidyaratan Lane in Narkeldanga, had been on the run since Sarkar’s murder on 1 May in 2021 — the day election results were declared. The CBI had earlier announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to his arrest. Sarkar, 35, a prominent BJP leader from Kankurgachi in Kolkata, was reportedly lynched by a mob hours after the Trinamul Congress secured a sweeping victory in the state elections. His family had accused ruling party supporters of orchestrating the attack as part of widespread violence against political opponents. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Sarkar’s mother and brother made repeated appeals for justice, alleging that despite being under central probe, the investigation was being mishandled. “We live in constant fear. My mother collapsed several times while appearing as a witness. Abhijit had named a senior local leader in his final videos, saying our lives were in danger,” said Udit Sarkar, his elder brother.
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On 17 November, 2021, the Sealdah ACJM Court declared five individuals — including Arun De — as absconding in the murder case and issued non-bailable arrest warrants against them. Alongside De, the CBI had identified four others: Sukhdev Poddar alias Sukha, Gopal Das alias Vishal Pal, Biswajit Das alias Bompa, and one Amit. All four are also believed to be residents of the Narkeldanga area in Kolkata. Despite De’s arrest, the remaining four suspects are still on the run.