Youth on scooter dies on Setu ramp, kin cry murder

Kolkata: Mystery surrounds the death of a young man, Nishant Chowdhury (22), from Behala with cops claiming he was a victim of an accident involving trucks and his family insisting he was murdered.
Police reported that Nishant died in a bike accident under Hastings police station early on Tuesday morning. However, his family claims that Nishant was murdered, implicating one of his female friends in the alleged crime.
In protest, Nishant’s family members staged a demonstration in front of the Hastings police station on Tuesday morning.They said they had received a call early in the morning, with the caller claiming Nishant’s condition was critical and that he had been admitted to SSKM Hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, the family learned of Nishant’s death.
Cops said Nishant was riding a scooter with his girlfriend (18). Around 3.30 am, the scooter reportedly came between two trailers on the down ramp of Vidyasagar Setu at Hastings, and Nishant was reportedly crushed by one of the trailers, police said, adding neither had a helmet on.
The family said Nishant’s girlfriend, who was also hospitalized with injuries, initially claimed not to know him. She later changed her statement. The family alleged that when they first went to register an FIR, police refused to accept it. It was only after three hours that cops registered the FIR. Family members are still gathered outside the police station. “There are 19 cameras where the incident occurred. Police said none of the 19 cameras was functioning,” said one of the relatives, stationed outside the Hastings police station.
Cops denied all claims and said they are collecting CCTV footage that will help establish the exact chain of events. At least three friends of the deceased – including his girlfriend – will be questioned.