KOLKATA: Anirban Saha, a 44-year-old trader who lives and runs his shop on Beliaghata Main Road, was kidnapped from his shop and repeatedly assaulted on Monday afternoon before being finally dumped in front of a local nursing home.
His wife Papri Saha has alleged that a local syndicate gang affiliated with the ruling party was involved in the attack. She claimed that the accused had attacked Anirban after he rewarded the contract of redeveloping his plywood shop to a contractor not aligned with the syndicate. The condition of Anirban, with broken legs and a hand and an injured rib cage, was stated to be serious.
The Beliaghata police has registered a FIR and is scanning CCTV footage. Till Tuesday evening, two persons — Uttam Das and Bivas Das — have been arrested. A court later remanded them to police custody till June 4. Cops said the duo will be questioned to find how who else were involved. “The reason behind the attack needs to be probed,” said Priyabrata Roy, DC (Eastern Suburban).
According to Anirban, he has been planning to repair the roof of his showroom that is yet to be cemented. It was about four days ago that the work finally began after the trader awarded the job to a person known to him.
“It was from this time that I began receiving threat calls. Some of those known to me also warned me not to venture near the shop. However, I had some important work on Monday and when I went there, a few people – led by one Raju Saha – dragged me out of the shop. I have no rivalry with him and everything is linked with the work at my shop,” said Anirban.
The accused reportedly took him to the office of a local construction supplier allegedly linked to the ruling party. Here he was assaulted and then taken to an unoccupied flat where he was assaulted again with bamboo sticks. He was also reportedly stripped and asked to pose with arms. It was around evening that he was dumped.
Raju Naskar, who the victim’s family claimed was the mastermind, denied all claims. “I do not know Anirban. I was at the KMC office between 11.30am and 4pm on Monday. I have no rivalry with anyone. This allegation is politically motivated. Everything will become clear in the next seven days as the probe progresses,” said Naskar. Raju Saha, against whom the family complained too, had switched off his phone.
Papri said: “A year ago, we had taken the same project to Naskar but it must have skipped his mind. It is only now that we have engaged another contractor.”
Trinamool Congress distanced itself from the incident. “Police are actively probing the case. Law will take its own course,” said mayor Firhad Hakim. “Everyone claims to be from our party. We will not take any blame for anyone nor will we stand with any such individual,” said Ward 34 Trinamool president Alok Das.
