Howrah Police arrest two prime accused in Pilkhana murder from Delhi

Kolkata, Mar 5 (PTI) Howrah City Police on Thursday arrested two persons in the sensational Pilkhana murder case from Delhi, eight days after a man was shot dead in the district's Golabari police station area, a senior officer said.

The accused duo, Harun Khan and Rafakat Hussain alias Rohit, were apprehended from the Jama Masjid area of the national capital by a team of the detective department of Howrah City Police, following a multi-state chase, he said.

"Acting on specific intelligence inputs, our team conducted a targeted operation in the Jama Masjid area and apprehended the two prime accused today," the officer added.

The arrested men will be brought to Howrah on transit remand for further legal proceedings, he said.

The case relates to the murder of Safique Khan, who was shot dead by armed assailants at Pilkhana 2nd Lane in the early hours of February 25, he added.

The incident, which took place within the jurisdiction of Howrah's Golabari police station, was captured on nearby CCTV cameras.

A case was registered at Golabari police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act.

Immediately after the incident, a special investigation team comprising officers of the detective department and Golabari police station was formed under the supervision of senior officers, he said.

The accused had switched off their mobile phones and avoided using digital devices in an attempt to evade arrest, forcing investigators to rely on extensive CCTV analysis, field intelligence and surveillance.

During the investigation, police found that the accused had moved through several locations, including Metiabruz in Kolkata, parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, before reaching Delhi with the help of associates.

"Our investigation is continuing, and we are also examining the role of others who may have assisted the accused in evading arrest," another officer said. PTI SCH MNB