'Dispute over control of satta': Goons open fire on friends partying on rooftop in Kolkata; 1 killed

KOLKATA: A 30-year-old man was fatally shot and his friend critically wounded when six men walked up to the roof of a residential building in Baghajatin and opened fire on them around 1 am on Thursday. A third friend, who is yet to be identified, managed to save himself by hiding on the ledge.

The brazen shooting, which police suspect was the fallout of a dispute over control of satta (gambling) spoils, took place when the trio were in the middle of a rooftop party.

Cops claimed the primary target was Jeet Mukherjee, 35, a building material supplier who owns a flat in the three-storey building. Rahul Dey died trying to protect Jeet as the assailants, all outsiders, fired three rounds, officers said.

Within six hours of the incident, police arrested four persons. “Two of the accused hail from rural Narendrapur while two others live in Vidyasagar Colony. Primary investigation has revealed that there was a dispute over gambling money in the Pachpota area of Narendrapur,” said joint CP (crime) Rupesh Kumar.

Local sources claimed Jeet, who has numerous criminal cases pending against him, was eyeing control of the satta business in the Narendrapur-Sonarpur belt along with cornering a section of the building material syndicate.

“A case has been filed based on Jeet’s statement. He has identified two of the assailants. However, we are still trying to trace the third person who was with Jeet and Rahul. His role in the shooting remains a mystery,” said an officer.

Police sources and locals said Rahul and Jeet, both Trinamool Congress workers, were partying on the terrace since 9.30 pm. Jeet lives on the ground floor of the building with wife Ruma and their daughter. The location is barely 300 meters from Kendua and just a kilometre from Gangulybagan.

Neighbor Abhijit Dutta said, “Around 12:45 am, my wife woke me up claiming there was commotion and sounds resembling fireworks outside. When As I went out to check, I saw five-six men screaming — ‘set the cars and bikes on fire, destroy everything’. They were carrying a blood-soaked helmet. Jeet’s wife, Ruma, was screaming for help. I later saw Jeet crying out while being taken to hospital wrapped in a blood-soaked bedsheet. His friend was unresponsive.”

Joint CP Kumar said Patuli Police Station received information about a shooting incident at 53 Purba Phoolbagan. On reaching the spot, officers found Rahul lying unconscious in a pool of blood and Jeet with multiple injuries. Rahul was taken to Peerless hospital but declared dead on arrival. Jeet’s statement was recorded in the hospital and formed the basis of the FIR.

“Following overnight investigation, we arrested Deep Roy (33) of Narendrapur, Bidhan Bannerjee (27) of Garia Pachpota, Raja Banik (36) of Netaji Nagar, and Jayanta Ghosh (37) of Vidyasagar Colony. Forensic teams at the site have seized evidence including blood samples, an empty cartridge, a whiskey bottle and mobile phones belonging to the accused. Several motorcycles believed to have been used by the assailants were also recovered from near the flat,” said an officer.

Police sources said Jeet has extensive criminal record and was previously associated with a local councillor but was aksed to leave the area following allegations of illegal activities. He recently returned to live in his parents’ flat in the building.

Rahul’s family members claimed his murder was a conspiracy. Rahul’s brother, who requested anonymity, said, “I received a call at 1 am. A relative of one of the youths at the party called me. I went to the spot with my mother. There were cops on the terrace. I saw two bodies lying there. Jeet’s wife was also present. The cops first brought Jeet down. By the time I saw my brother, he was no longer alive. Jeet had invited my brother after many years. Why did this suddenly happen?”