Two youths were murdered in different locations in Siliguri on Tuesday, one allegedly over a relationship and another over business dealings.
Police have arrested both the alleged assailants, one of whom surrendered. Investigations are on.
Early on Tuesday, Amit Gossain, 24, of Debidanga, a locality in north Siliguri, was allegedly shot by neighbour Arun Mahali. Sources alleged that Amit and Arun had a relationship with the same girl which led to an altercation. Arun apparently took out a firearm and shot Amit at point-blank range. Amit died on the spot.
As the news spread, a team from Pradhannagar police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the body and arrested Arun. The firearm was seized.
Residents resorted to a road blockade to protest growing crimes, which halted traffic along the Champasari Main Road for some time. They dispersed after the police intervened.
In the other incident, Swapan Barman, 25, of Ashighar on the eastern outskirts of Siliguri, was allegedly hacked to death by another neighbour, Niranjan Modak, over business differences.
Sources said Swapan was at a tea stall when Niranjan attacked him with a sickle. Swapan was seriously injured and died on the way to the hospital.
Later, Niranjan surrendered before the police.
Bombs seized
Malda police seized 13 crude bombs on Monday night from a farmer’s house. Sources said a team from Baishnabnagar police station acted raided the Pardeonapur village house of Rustam Sheikh to find bombs. The bombs were isolated. On Tuesday, they were defused at a deserted place. Sheikh is absconding.
A massive gate (in the picture), which was put up to welcome Trinamul Congress national general-secretary Abhishek Banerjee at Balundi village near Arambagh in Hooghly district, was damaged in a sudden storm that raged in the area for about 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon. The storm raged at 70kmph and uprooted at least three such massive gates erected to welcome the leader. Abhishek is scheduled to visit the area on Wednesday as part of his mass outreach programme. Local people said the storm hit Arambagh around 2pm on Tuesday and brought a spell of relief to the area for a few hours from the ongoing heat wave in Bengal. Most south Bengal districts, including Hooghly, have been witnessing soaring temperatures for the past few days and there is no immediate prediction of relief. Report by Snehamoy Chakraborty, picture by Ananda Adhikari