Birbhum district police have arrested two persons — Sheikh Anarul and Dipankar Roy — in connection with the murder of BJP booth president Chandan Bhalla, who was shot dead at point-blank range in Bolpur, West Bengal, on the night of 27 September 2026. Preliminary investigation suggests the killing may be linked to a land dispute and the involvement of a local land mafia, according to police.

How the Murder Unfolded

On the night of 27 September, two assailants allegedly shot Chandan Bhalla dead in Mil Para, Ward No. 12, under the Bolpur Municipality area, before fleeing on a motorcycle. Bhalla, who served as the BJP booth president of Ward No. 11, was reportedly called out of his home before being shot in the head. He was also employed as a clerk in the Land and Land Reforms Department in Bolpur and was separately involved in land transactions.

Residents alleged that Bhalla had been engaged in a prolonged dispute with members of the land mafia over a parcel of land in the Sian area of Bolpur, estimated to be worth around ₹3 crore.

Who Was Arrested and Why

Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh confirmed on Tuesday that the two arrested persons are not the actual shooters but are believed to be involved in the incident. Sheikh Anarul operates a mobile phone shop at Aarti Cinema, Tala More, Bolpur, while Dipankar Roy, also known locally as Tenu, is a land dealer with reportedly multiple past allegations of land grabbing, illegal land conversion, unauthorised construction, and encroachment on tribal land surfacing against him.

Investigators established that Dipankar Roy purchased a mobile SIM card from Anarul's shop a day before the murder. According to investigators, that newly purchased SIM was inserted into a basic 2G mobile phone and used to call Bhalla on the evening of the killing — luring him out of his residence. Police suspect Roy placed that call. The two suspects were tracked down through call detail records.

A police sniffer dog had earlier traced the movement of the assailants from the crime scene to the Aarti Cinema Tala crossing area, helping narrow the investigation. Both accused were produced before the Bolpur Sub-Divisional Court on Tuesday and remanded to police custody.

Key Gaps in the Investigation

Despite the arrests, the SP confirmed that the actual shooters remain at large. The motorcycle used in the crime and the firearm allegedly used in the murder have not yet been recovered. The SP stated that police teams are continuing their search for the two gunmen.

The Birbhum Police are conducting the investigation jointly with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Special Task Force (STF). Forensic experts have collected samples from the crime scene and sent them for laboratory examination.

Land Mafia Link Under Scrutiny

SP Bhundesh noted that while the case appears linked to a land dispute based on the preliminary investigation, it would be premature to draw final conclusions, as the probe is still underway. The involvement of a land mafia network in triggering the murder is being actively examined. This comes amid recurring concerns in West Bengal about land-related crimes and the alleged nexus between local criminal networks and land dealings.

With the shooters still on the run and the murder weapon unrecovered, investigators face pressure to close the critical gaps in the case before the trail grows cold.