Mukhtar held from Howrah station, Iqbal still at large

"We arrested Mukhtar from Howrah station. He will be brought to the CID headquaters and interrogated,'' Vineet Goel, DIG of CID told The Indian Express.

Mukhtar, a Congress leader in the port area, was seen brandishing a gun during the clash in front of Harimohan Ghosh College at Garden Reach on February 12 in which the ASI was killed. Mukhtar came to limelight in 1995 when, he then a CITU leader, allegedly shot at the car of Mamata Banerjee, then a Youth Congress leader.

Earlier in the day, CID arrested Mohd Imtiaz, a close aide of Mukhtar, from Bichalighat area of the city. Acting on a tip-off, a CID team raided some areas in the area and arrested Imtiaz. Goel termed the arrest of the duo as a "major breakthrough".

With these arrests, the number of those arrested in this case stands at 13.

Another prime accused Mohammad Iqbal alias Munna, who is the rival of Mukhtar, is yet to be arrested. Iqbal, considered close to Trinamool Congress minister Firhad Hakim, allegedly gave a gun to Igne, who shot the ASI.

Igne and another accused Subhan told the CID that Iqbal had given the firearms to them to create disturbance at Harimohan Ghosh College at Garden Reach during the filing of nominations for the college election.

Police said they have already launched a manhunt for Iqbal, who is chairman of the Borough Committee of Garden Reach.

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