New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Monday released its first list of 144 candidates for next month’s Assembly elections in West Bengal, fielding Suvendu Adhikari from Bhabanipur in Kolkata, a seat held by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

According to the list, Dilip Ghosh has been fielded from Kharagpur Sadar, Biman Mahto from Salboni, both in Paschim Medinipur district, while Swapan Dasgupta will contest the Rasbehari seat in south Kolkata.

Sumita Sinha will contest from Kanthi Uttar in Purba Medinipur district, Biman Ghosh from Pursurah in Hooghly district, while Madhavi Mahalder has been fielded from Kultali in South 24 Parganas district.

Anima Datta has been fielded from Palashipara in Nadia district, while Lakshikant Sahu has been named the BJP candidate from Jhargram, according to the list.

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee had won from Bhabanipur in the bypoll held in 2021, which was crucial for her to continue as the chief minister after her defeat in Nandigram at the hands of Suvendu Adhikari.

The 294 seats in West Bengal will go to polls in two phases – April 23 and April 29 – with the counting scheduled on May 4.

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Berhampur (PTI): The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Odisha on Monday arrested three persons from Rajasthan for allegedly looting gold ornaments from a trader near Berhampur railway station while posing as CBI officers.

Gold ornaments weighing 88 gm, valued at around Rs 14.80 lakh, were seized from their possession, an officer said.

At least two unidentified persons intercepted the victim, Husmukh Jain (43) of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, when he and another man were leaving Berhampur railway station after deboarding the Konark Express around 9.30 pm on February 25, the officer said.

“We have identified some more accused persons involved in the loot. They are from outside the state and will be arrested soon,” said Jagannath Mallick, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), GRP (Khurda).

The accused allegedly posed as CBI officers and forcibly took away his bag on the pretext of an enquiry.

The bag contained two mobile phones, 33 gold ornaments weighing around 862.5 gm, among other items, the officer said.

Based on the trader’s complaint, a case was registered at GRP Berhampur on February 26.

A joint team of GRP and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel conducted raids at multiple locations in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan during the investigation, leading to the arrest of three persons, Mallick said.