The investigation into the tragic death of 13-year-old Tamanna Khatun in a bombing incident in Kaliganj has taken a significant turn with the arrest of two more individuals, including the prime accused, Gawal Sheikh, and his son Bimal Sheikh. The arrests, made late Friday night in Katwa, Burdwan, have brought the total number of accused taken into custody in connection with the case to nine.
Gawal, who holds the position of Trinamool Congress booth president in Kaliganj, was directly named in the FIR filed by the victim’s family. Tamanna’s mother, Sabina Bibi, has consistently maintained that Gawal ordered the bombing that claimed her daughter's life. “Gawal is the main boss here. The bomb attack was carried out on his orders. But he also has a boss and let the police investigate that too,” she said following the arrests.
The incident occurred on June 23, shortly after vote counting for the Kaliganj by-election, held on June 19. With TMC’s victory, a celebratory procession was reportedly taken out by party supporters. During the procession, a bomb was allegedly hurled at the residence of a family known to support the CPM, killing Tamanna— a Class-IV student.
The girl’s death sparked widespread outrage, especially as her family pointed fingers at ruling party workers. Superintendent of Police Amarnath K confirmed the arrests on Saturday, saying, “Gawal is the main accused in the Kaliganj bombing. Along with him, his has also been arrested. The search operation is ongoing. All accused will be arrested soon.”
Also read: Kaliganj bomb blast case: Police quiz Tamanna’s family
The ruling TMC, while acknowledging the arrest of one of its local leaders, attempted to distance the party from the crime. Rukbanur Rahman, chairman of TMC’s Krishnanagar organisational district, said, “There is no party for miscreants. It doesn’t matter which political banner someone operates under, this incident is hellish. The police must ensure exemplary punishment.”
However, the BJP has accused the state government of shielding those higher up in the chain of command. Arjun Biswas, president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Krishnanagar Nadia North unit, said, “The little ones are being sacrificed to protect the big fish. The police lack the authority to go after the hooligans’ network that has long terrorised this region and was used by TMC for electoral gains. Still, Gawal’s arrest may give the people some relief from fear.”
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