Two TMC leaders, Bikash Sinha and Santu Das, were injured in a shootout in Belgharia on March 8. | (Photo Courtesy: Facebok)
Belgharia: Despite a recent reshuffle in the commissionerate, shootouts continue to plague the Barrackpore industrial belt. On Saturday (March 8) night, assailants opened fire, injuring two Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders in Belgharia, sending shockwaves through South Basudebpur.
The victims have been identified as Bikash Sinha, who was shot in the chest and abdomen, and Santu Das, who suffered bullet wounds in the waist, as per a report by ETV Bharat.
Sinha is in critical condition and has been admitted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, while Das was taken to Sagore Dutta Medical College in Kamarhati for treatment.
What Did the Police Investigation Reveal?
Anupam Singh, the Deputy Commissioner (South) of Barrackpore Commissionerate, visited the scene and spoke with witnesses. The Belgharia Police are investigating whether the shooting was linked to political rivalry or a personal dispute.
According to reports, Sinha had traveled that evening from his Belgharia residence to the Texmaco workshop, where he serves as the general secretary of the Trinamool Workers Union. Afterward, he visited a local tea stall. Meanwhile, Das, a resident of Agarpara, had taken his wife to a doctor in South Basudebpur and stopped at the same tea stall where Singha was sitting.
Detailed Account of the Incident
At 8:45 PM, three helmeted individuals on a motorcycle opened fire, injuring Sinha and Das. Sinha was critically wounded and underwent surgery at RG Kar hospital, while Das is reportedly stable.
“We came to see a doctor and was having tea outside a stall when all of a sudden three bike-borne persons started firing. We didn’t know any of them, and one of them was running past us closely when my husband was shot in the waist,” Das’ wife Riya Karmakar, told ETV Bharat.
“More than two rounds have been fired in which two were injured. Santu Das had a close shave, but Bikas Sinha was shot in the abdomen. We have been trying to identify the assailants from the CCTV footage. A bike has been recovered from the spot, and it is being seen whether it belongs to the assailants,” DC Singha told the publication.
The assailants reportedly fled towards Agarpara.
