Kolkata, Oct 9 (IANS): Hemanta Pal, a local Trinamool Congress leader from Arambagh in Hooghly district of West Bengal, was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly murdering a man late on Tuesday night.

While Pal is the Trinamool Congress president of ward number four of Arambagh municipality, the deceased has been identified as Debasish Ash (32).

Pal will be presented at a district court on Wednesday afternoon and district police sources said that the Public Prosecutors will seek police custody of the accused.

It is learnt that on Tuesday night a quarrel broke out between Hemanta and Debasish Ash’s nephew Sayan, who protested against Pal misbehaving in the area in an inebriated state.

Thereafter, Hemanta started beating up Sayan and at that point of time Debasish rushed to the spot to defend his nephew.

Residents of the area told the police that Pal began assaulting Debasish with an iron rod and finally left him bleeding, leading to his death on the spot.

Following the murder, tension broke out in the area as the locals started protesting over the barbaric act.

A huge police contingent from Arambagh police station rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Later, on Wednesday Hemanta was arrested by the cops.

The event has caused immense embarrassment to the district leadership of the Trinamool Congress, who distanced themselves from the incident and said the law would take its course in the case and the party would not protect the accused.

The party’s organisational District President of Arambagh, Ramendu Sinha Roy said, “Probably the quarrel broke out over consumption of alcohol. The deceased, who was our supporter, was hit on his head which caused his death. The law will take its own course and the party will not protect the accused.”

On the other hand, his counterpart in the BJP, Biman Ghosh claimed that the ruling party had ‘assets’ like Hemanta, who can easily murder a person.

The locals also complained that Hemanta was notorious in the area for his rowdy behaviour and frequent misbehaviour in an inebriated state.