A former leader of the Badarganj municipal unit of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Gopal Banerjee, was arrested late Monday night from a border area in Naogaon in connection with the murder of a van driver in Rangpur’s Badarganj. The arrest was made during a joint operation by the Rapid Action Battalion and police. According to police, Banerjee was brought to Badarganj Police Station and will be sent to court after legal procedures.

The murder occurred on April 5 of the previous year amid clashes between two factions of the BNP over local dominance and the construction of a tin shop. During the violence, a worker named Lavlu Mia was killed, leading to two murder cases. Later that day, a van driver named Ariful Islam was stabbed to death after being mistaken for a rival group member. His father filed a case naming 21 accused and several unidentified persons.

Following the arrest, the Rangpur district Chhatra Dal expelled Gopal Banerjee and another leader, Mujahidul Islam Samrat, citing involvement in violent and disciplinary breaches. Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.