Three of the four accused, including the alleged mastermind behind the sensational murder of BJP youth leader Samir Das in West Tripura's Kathaltali area, were on Wednesday remanded to five days of police custody by a local court in Agartala.
The accused Swapan Sutradhar, identified by police as the alleged mastermind, his brother Mithun Sutradhar, and his son Sujoy Sutradhar were produced before the court under tight security after being arrested by personnel of Amtali Police Station. Police had sought their custody for further interrogation.
Government advocate Dilip Debnath said the case was registered on the basis of an FIR lodged by the victim's wife, Dipa Rani Mallik, at Amtali Police Station against four accused persons. Besides the three arrested, another accused, Raju Sutradhar, remains absconding.
"The court granted five days of police remand for all three accused. They will be produced before the court again on June 29," Debnath said.
According to police, Samir Das, a BJP youth leader and secretary of a local club in Kathaltali, was brutally murdered late on Monday night over a long-standing personal rivalry.
Police said Das was returning home on his scooter after attending a social programme when he was allegedly intercepted near the Kathaltali Shani Temple. The assailants reportedly forced him off his vehicle and attacked him with a sharp weapon, inflicting fatal injuries before fleeing the scene.
Local residents Goutam Das and Digbijoy Dey rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help and found the victim lying in a pool of blood beside the road. They immediately informed the victim's family and the police.
West Tripura Superintendent of Police (SP) Namit Pathak said Officer-in-Charge of Amtali Police Station Paritosh Das, along with a large contingent of security personnel, rushed to the scene soon after receiving information. A forensic team and dog squad were deployed, while forensic experts conducted a detailed examination of the crime scene.
The body was later sent to the Tripura Medical College (TMC) morgue for post-mortem examination.
The murder triggered widespread outrage in the locality. Soon after the incident, hundreds of agitated villagers allegedly attacked the residence of one of the accused and set it on fire. Fire and Emergency Services personnel reached the spot promptly and managed to contain the blaze, preventing further damage.
As tension escalated, senior police officials, including SP Namit Pathak, rushed to the area with additional security personnel and restored normalcy.
On Tuesday, police intensified their search operation and arrested the prime accused, Swapan Sutradhar, from Agartala's Indranagar area with the assistance of personnel from New Capital Complex (NCC) Police Station. Mithun Sutradhar and Sujoy Sutradhar were subsequently arrested.
Meanwhile, in view of the prevailing law and order situation, West Tripura District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, across the jurisdiction of Amtali Police Station.
The restrictions came into effect from 6:00 pm on June 23 and will remain in force until 5 PM on June 25, 2026, to prevent any further untoward incidents and maintain peace in the area.