Beniapukur on boil after daylight shootout

KOLKATA: A shootout between two gangs of local promoters on Monday left the residents of Syed Ahmed Shah Road off CIT Road in shock. The rivalry, claimed residents of the Beniapukur area and police, stems from two areas of conflict — an illegal structure coming up behind the St James School and an illegal call centre being run in the area. The incident was reported around 4.30pm.


Police said that at least one of the promoters — identified as Md Amin — was injured after a bullet grazed past him. His attacker — identified as Dipak Balmiki alias Lombu Pappu — was beaten up by locals after the attack. He fled, leaving the .7mm pistol at the spot. He is presently recuperating at an Ekbalpore nursing home from where he will be put under arrest, said south-east police sources. A case in this regard has been registered with the Beniapukur police.

According to locals, Pappu had accosted Amin for allegedly stopping his construction for the past 20 days by going to court. He was also unhappy that Amin was not paying him Rs 3 lakh that he owed him. Amin, though, denied the charges saying that he was supposed to get money from Pappu. “Four men along with Pappu accosted me and my brother when we reached the spot. Pappu took out his pistol and shot twice at Amin’s legs. Luckily, one of the bullets missed him,” claimed Amin’s brother Saifu.

Lalbazar officers, though, said Pappu had no intention to shoot. “The bullet hit the road, ricocheted and hit Amin in the process. Pappu fled in panic. This wasn’t a gang war. It was a personal enmity,” claimed a top officer from south-east division. Pappu was allegedly threatening his tenant Aslam to vacate the plot and the latter apparently sought the help of Amin. The officer said both Amin and Pappu are being questioned at length to ascertain the exact reason of the clash. Locals said both sides were heavily armed and demanded that a raid should be conducted by police to seize illegal arms. “Let the detective department come and seize the arms. We will not hand over the pistol to the local police,” claimed Md Arshad, who was standing at a crowded shop when the shootout took place.