Two arrested for gold trader's abduction and murder in Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 9 (IANS) The police investigation into the murder of a gold trader from West Midnapore district of West Bengal has revealed that Rajganj Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Barman, against whom the family of the deceased lodged a complaint, was closely involved with the incident.

According to police sources, the two arrested persons in connection with the incident, one of them being a driver of the BDO, have confessed to the murder.

The accused duo also told the investigators that the BDO was involved with the incident.

During police questioning, the duo also said that four more people were at the site on the day the murder took place.

However, the BDO has denied the allegations.

Investigators have said that on the day of the incident, the accused duo came to the gold shop in Duttabad in a car with a blue beacon where a gold trader was severely beaten in the shop.

The gold trader lost his consciousness after being hit with a belt and a stick following which he died.

The body of the gold trader was taken to the car and dumped on the banks of a canal near Jatragachi in New Town area.

Allegedly, the BDO left the city the day after the murder.

The driver Raju Dhali -- one of the accused -- took him to Kolkata's Dum Dum Airport in the same car in which the deceased victim had arrived.

On Saturday, the police have arrested two persons in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a gold trader whose body was recovered from New Town area near Kolkata last month.

The police on Saturday said that the driver of the Rajganj BDO and his friend have been arrested.

According to police sources, the accused have been identified as Raju Dhali and Tufan Thapa.

Raju Dhali is a resident of Rajarhat area in New Town.

He is the driver of the Rajganj BDO.

The other accused, Tufan, is said to be a friend of the BDO.

The family of the deceased gold trader named Swapan Kamilya had filed a complaint against Rajganj Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Barman in Jalpaiguri district for kidnapping and murder.

--IANS

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