Weapon procured in Kolkata on day of murder, suspect cops

KOLKATA: A couple of CCTV footages near EM Bypass and Bengal Chemical in Kankurgachhi can help cops find the last few missing links in the Phoolbagan murder-cum-suicide mystery. A probe has now revealed that Amit Agarwal (42) had procured an improvised pistol, which he later used to shoot his mother-in-law Lalita Dhandania, from either near the airport or the Bengal Chemical area around EM Bypass.
Sources said the app-cab driver, who had dropped him at Phoolbagan from Kankurgachhi, has been traced. “The driver has told us that he had got down at Bengal Chemical and then walked to his in-laws’ residence. There is a possibility he was handed over a laptop bag there, that had the weapon. But this needs further probe,” said an IPS officer, adding that talks about his research on bullets and firearms during the lockdown were fake.
“We are looking into all angles,” said joint CP (crime) Murlidhar Sharma. He said a special crack team was also working on ascertaining if he was close to any local criminals from north Kolkata suburbs. The new leads have led cops to intensify efforts to trace the arms supplier who might have passed on the weapon to Amit minutes before the crime at Phoolbagan. Experts believe that the improvised pistol was procured locally, though its accuracy can match a Munger-made one.
Cops also have enough evidence — from his notes in laptop and mobile— to suggest that he also spent a considerable time in finalizing his plans to acquire the firearm at the last moment from the dealer. Police said Amit had collected the firearm and magazines while on his way to Phoolbagan. “It was delivered only on the day of murder,” claimed a source. “The suicide note also talks of his travel to Tamil Nadu and Bihar and plans of roping in hired assassins,”said police.