The gang that raided a jewellery store in Barrackpore on Wednesday evening and gunned down the owner’s son had also targeted to rob another jewellery shop in Howrah’s Kadamtala, police said on Saturday.
Members of the gang visited the Howrah shop on May 18 and the leader even purchased a silver chain from the shop while conducting a survey of the market area where the shop is located, police said.
The revelation came following questioning of two of the accused, who were arrested on Friday, an officer said.
Among the two Safiq Khan was arrested in Rahara, near Barrackpore, and Jamshed Ansari was picked up from Muraroi in Birbhum.
“CCTV footage shows two persons entering the Howrah shop on May 18 and two others waiting outside,” said a senior police officer. “The bill has the name of the leader of the gang with his mobile number. We have checked and found that both are correct.”
CCTV footage shows that the group scanned the area in Kadamtala market of Howrah on May 23 and turned up at the shop around 9.30am the next day.
The plan was aborted with some customers walking into the jewellery shop. Having failed with one, the group then crossed the Hooghly and reached Barrackpore.
CCTV footage from Singha Jewellery House, located in Barrackpore’s Anandapuri, shows four men entering the store on Wednesday evening.
Nilratan Singha, the owner, his son Niladri and two employees were in the store.
One of the gang members opened fire, injuring the Singhas and an employee. The three were rushed to the hospital, where Niladri was declared dead on arrival.
On Saturday, gold and silver jewellers from Barrackpore and adjoining Palta kept their shops shut for 24 hours protesting against Niladri’s murder.