Newspaper owner-editor held in Tripura triple murder

The killing of three employees of a media office here May 19 has taken a new twist Friday with the arrest of the editor-cum-owner of the newspaper, police said.

"We have arrested Sushil Choudhury, editor-cum-owner of 'Dainik Ganadoot' (a Bengali daily) in connection with the murder of three employees of his newspaper May 19," a police official told reporters.

He said: "Choudhury is the second person arrested for the crime. Niyoti Ghosh, wife of slain driver Balaram Ghosh, was arrested May 31. She is in police custody."

Police said that they arrested Choudhury after getting some specific inputs from Niyoti Ghosh.

Police will present the 72-year-old Choudhury in the chief judicial magistrate court Saturday.

Balaram Ghosh, manager Ranjit Choudhury (a former Border Security Force staffer) and proof reader Sujit Bhattacharjee were murdered in the 'Dainik Ganadoot' office in the heart of the capital city in a broad daylight.

"The killings might be related to property (dispute) or illicit affairs," a police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Niyoti Ghosh and her 13-year-old daughter witnessed the murder of Balaram Ghosh, who was stabbed to death by two assailants. They fled the scene immediately after the crime on a motorcycle. The family was also staying in the same newspaper building.

Sushil Choudhury was in his room on the first floor when the trio was killed. He denied that he saw anything or heard anything.

Police grilled Sushil Choudhury many times since May 19.

The main opposition Congress observed strike in Tripura May 21 to protest the murders and demanded that the culprits be immediately arrested.

Media organisations in Tripura, various parts of the country and abroad condemned the killing.

Sushil Choudhury, who had visited 130 countries along with several presidents, prime ministers and as a member of delegation of various friendship units during the past three decades, had earlier declared a reward of Rs.10 lakh for anyone providing clues about the killings.