Three held in Howrah promoter murder probe, two main shooters still at large

Kolkata, Feb 26 (IANS) The Howrah City Police arrested three persons for allegedly aiding those who are involved in the murder of promoter Shafiq Khan in the Peelkhana area of Howrah, officials said.

The two main accused, identified as Harun Khan and Rohit Hossain, who allegedly shot the 27-year-old in close range on Wednesday morning, are still at large.

The police said the three suspects were arrested from the Jorasanko area of north Kolkata late at night following specific inputs. The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Bilal, 36, a resident of Kalabagan, and Mohammad Wakil alias Munna, 32, along with Dildar Hossain, both residents of the Boubazar area.

Investigators believe that after the shooting, the two main accused took shelter at Bilal’s residence in Jorasanko. Police sources said the arrested men were in regular contact with the shooters. The Howrah City Police detectives are questioning them to trace the whereabouts of Harun Khan and Rohit Hossain.

A murder case has been registered at Golabari Police Station.

The police are yet to trace the two main assailants, Harun Khan and Rohit Hossain, who were captured on CCTV during the killing of 27-year-old promoter Shafiq Khan. Multiple teams are conducting searches in different locations.

A video showing Harun Khan riding pillion on the motorcycle of Howrah Uttar MLA Gautam Chowdhuri, along with a photograph of the two walking together, has circulated widely on social media. Citing these visuals, the Opposition has questioned whether the suspects’ alleged proximity to ruling party figures is hindering police efforts to locate and arrest them despite the available footage.

The police have not commented on these allegations.

On Wednesday, the 27-year-old promoter was shot dead at close range by unidentified assailants in Howrah, with the entire incident captured on CCTV. The killing triggered tension in the locality, where residents blocked roads and set tyres ablaze in protest.

In a related development, the police have arrested six persons for allegedly assaulting a video journalist who was covering the incident. The reporter was attacked by an angry mob and sustained a fractured nose after being beaten.

A case was registered soon after the assault, leading to the arrests.

–IANS

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