Ex-footballer found dead on railway tracks

KOLKATA: The body of a former Bengal U-16 football player was found on the railway tracks between Ballygunge and Lake Market around 10pm on Friday. Ballygunge GRP has initiated a probe in the matter and is keeping all options — accident, homicide and suicide — open. “We are waiting for the post-mortem report,” a police officer said.

The victim — Ranjit Chattopadhyay (30) — was aspiring to become a football coach. Financial troubles had forced him to quit football two years ago and he had been driving an auto to meet his financial requirements. He played regularly for first division clubs like Port Trust and Salkia and visited Germany to represent the Kolkata Police team in the Friendship Cup.

According to his wife Purba, Ranjit left the house on Friday evening to watch the Brazil-Switzerland match at a local club. “Around 8.30pm, five persons — including Dhaka Kalibari resident Feroz — came to our house and asked him to come out. Within a couple of minutes, Ranjit left with his auto. Fifteen minutes later, they came again and asked for Kaluda, Ranjit’s nickname. They were using obscene language and continuously talking to someone over the phone. Around 10 pm, we got to know that Ranjit was no more,” she said.

His body was found 400m from their home. “The body was spotted by a train driver, who alerted us,” said an investigating officer. Police sources said a suicide note was recovered from Ranjit’s house. An SMS — stating that no one was responsible for Ranjit’s death — was reportedly forwarded to his wife. He apparently had an argument with Purba for returning without completing his auto trips to catch the Brazil match.

Ranjit’s family members said that he had recently opened up a football training centre for kids and was trying to get a coaching certificate.

“Some time ago, Ashu Bhattacharya — a tout operating from Beltala motors — had taken Rs 2.5 lakh from Feroz promising to arrange an auto permit for him. As Ranjit knew both persons, he agreed to be the guarantor. However, when Ashu — a resident of Rabindranagar in Behala’s Parnasree — failed to produce the permit, Feroz got mad at Ranjit,” claimed Purba. Railway police sources, though, claimed that it was Ranjit who had paid Rs 2.5 lakh directly to a tout for a second auto, which he was not getting despite running around for several weeks.

Police said they will record the statements of both Feroz and Ashu.