Bengal Shaken by Daylight Murder: Real-Estate Promoter Slain, TMC Links Spark Controversy

A 27-year-old real-estate promoter was shot dead in broad daylight on Wednesday morning in Pilkhana, Howrah, in a brazen attack that has been caught on CCTV and has sparked a political controversy in the state.

The victim, identified as Shafiq Khan, was ambushed by two gunmen on a busy road around 10:30 am on February 25, 2026. The gruesome episode was recorded in clear detail by a nearby CCTV camera. In the footage, two individuals, dressed in casual clothes, are seen mingling with pedestrians before suddenly producing firearms and firing multiple rounds at Khan, who was reportedly walking along the street. Khan succumbed to his injuries on the spot, police said.

By Wednesday evening, Howrah Police announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the killing. While investigators are yet to officially confirm a motive, preliminary findings suggest that the shooting could have stemmed from a business rivalry between Khan and one of the accused. Senior police officials said they are interrogating the detained suspects to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the murder.

However, the case took a political turn after images and clips began circulating on social media showing one of the accused riding pillion on a motorcycle belonging to a Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator. Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), seized on the visuals to allege political protection and links between the accused and the local TMC leadership.

“The chilling murder of a young entrepreneur in broad daylight and the footage showing the accused with a TMC MLA’s motorcycle raises serious questions about criminal-political nexus in the state,” a senior BJP leader said at a press briefing. The party has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

Responding to the allegations, senior TMC minister Shashi Panja dismissed any political link to the crime. “It would be wrong to link this tragic incident to the party or politics. Both the victim and the accused were promoters and business rivals. The matter appears to be related to rivalry between the two,” she said, urging the public to allow the police to complete their investigation.

Adding to the controversy, a local journalist—who had reportedly approached the TMC MLA with questions about the alleged connections between the accused and the lawmaker—was assaulted in the aftermath of the incident. Eye-witnesses claimed that the journalist was manhandled by unidentified individuals shortly after the MLA’s residence visit. The journalist has filed a police complaint, and the incident has drawn criticism from press freedom groups.

Police have not confirmed whether the journalist’s assault is linked to the murder investigation. Senior investigators reiterated that their priority is to establish the motive and bring all responsible parties to justice. As the case unfolds, the incident has intensified political rhetoric in West Bengal, raising concerns over safety, criminality, and the role of politics in business disputes.