Mamata's close aide and TMC councillor shot dead in Malda

Trinamool Congress councillor Dulal Sarkar was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in West Bengal's Malda district on Thursday morning, the police said.

Sarkar, the TMC councillor from Malda, was shot in his head multiple times from close range by bike-borne assailants at Jhaljhalia More area, they said.

"He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. A probe has been initiated and we are trying to identify the culprits," a senior police officer told PTI.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the killing of Sarkar, who was popularly known as Babla.

"My close associate and a very popular leader, Babla Sarkar, has been murdered today. From the beginning of the Trinamool Congress, he (and his wife Chaitali Sarkar) worked hard for the party, and Babla was also elected a councillor," she said in a post on X.

"... I am so shocked and sad that I do not know how to convey my condolences to the bereaved family. May God give Chaitali strength to survive and fight the battle," she added.

Later speaking at the state administrative meeting at Nabanna, Banerjee blamed the callousness of the Malda SP for the murder of TMC councillor.

"This is a season of festivals, and miscreants are taking the opportunity. This (the killing of Sarkar) happened due to the callousness of the SP. They planned to murder him today because yesterday was January 1 and people were celebrating the new year... this is a dangerous time."

"His (Sarkar's) security was taken away some time ago... Earlier also he was attacked. This is very unfortunate. If you are so very busy with the borders and Kaliachak then how will the district develop," she told the district magistrate.

Meanwhile, police arrested two contract killers in connection with the murder, a senior officer said.

The two -- Mohammed Sami Aktar (20) and Tinku Ghosh (22) -- are being interrogated.

Aktar is a resident of neighbouring Katihar district of Bihar while Ghosh is a resident of Jadupur Gabgachi in Malda district, another police officer said.