Kolkata: The police on Sunday cited family feud as the reason behind the murder of a Congress leader Tapan Kandu, who was killed in West Bengal’s Purulia district last month.
Kandu, the Congress councillor of Jhalda municipality was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne youth near his residence on March 13 while he was out for an evening walk along with his wife, Purnima Kandu.
On Saturday, Tapan’s brother — Naren Kandu, was arrested in connection with the Congressman’s murder. A district court has sent Naren to 14-day police custody.
Naren, however, said that he is innocent, and has no connection with his brother’s murder.
On Sunday, Purulia district police superintendent, S. Selvamurugan told mediapersons that family feud was the reason behind the killing of Tapan Kandu. According to him, the two brothers had a bitter relation for quite some time, and Naren Kandu was planning Tapan’s murder for the last few years.
Also on Saturday, immediately after the arrest of Naren Kandu on Saturday evening, Selvamurugan had hinted towards family feud.
“This was a clear case of family rivalry between two brothers and there is no doubt about the reason behind the assassination,” he said.
However, Purnima Kandu has ruled out the “family feud” claims of the police, saying her husband’s assassination was a part of a much bigger conspiracy.
“My husband was associated with Congress. Whereas Naren Kandu and his son Deepak Kandu are associated with Trinamool Congress. There is a deep conspiracy behind the assassination of my husband and hence I demand a CBI enquiry into the matter,” Purnima said, adding the entire conspiracy has been framed to shield the inspector-in-charge of Jhalda Police station, Sanjib Ghosh.
She alleged that Ghosh had been pressurising her husband for a long time to join Trinamool Congress.
Meanwhile, Purulia district president of Congress, Nepal Mahato also said “the district police had been conspiring to give the assassination the colour of a family feud”.
(IANS)
