Kaliachak in Malda district turned into a battlefield on Monday night as rival groups of smugglers and gangsters attacked each other in at least two locations to gain control over narcotics smuggling and peddling, an illegal trade thriving in the bordering area in recent years.

The groups exchanged several rounds of bullets, lobbed crude bombs and attacked each other with sharp and blunt weapons as they fought to get control of the illegal trade that virtually runs the local economy. The attacks and counter-attacks started on Monday night but continued on Tuesday as well.

At least two persons, both with suspected links with drug peddling, suffered bullet injuries, one at Gayeshbari and the other at Harugram, said a police source.

The injured, Oliullah a.k.a. Ohedullah, 32, and Royesh Sheikh, 20, from different “camps”, are under treatment at the Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH),

“Four persons have been arrested so far and a number of firearms, live bullets and other weapons have been seized from the locations. We are looking for other trouble-mongers,” said a police source.

Sources said Kaliachak, adjacent to the India-Bangladesh border, is known as a den of illegal trade of cattle, firearms, bombs and fake Indian foreign currency (FICN).

But over the past few years, narcotics smuggling and peddling has become the main vocation for hundreds of youths lured by the fast buck that the agents offer carriers.

A retired police officer said information from a number of persons arrested by agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, for smuggling revealed that a carrier earns around Rs 5,000 by delivering FICN of Rs 1 lakh and around Rs 4,000 by delivering 100 grams of narcotics.

“Carrying drugs is easier (than carrying fake currency) and involves lesser risk of getting caught. This is why narcotics smuggling is drawing more people... That is why the clashes have occurred as those running the rackets want to cover more area,” he said.

A source said the state government is aware of the situation, which is why chief minister Mamata Banerjee in a review meeting directed a special police officer of the rank of a deputy superintendent of police be appointed for Kaliachak, Baishnabnagar and Mothabari police station areas.

The process of appointing the officer is in the final stage, said sources.

On Monday night, the first violence occurred at Gayeshbari area as a scuffle started allegedly over peddling and the distribution of profit made by selling narcotics.

Oliullah a.k.a. Ohedullah, 32, a resident suspected to be involved in this illegal trade, went to a tea stall and got into a brawl with Mohidul Sheikh and Minna Sheikh, also allegedly involved in smuggling. The duo initially started beating Oliullah after tying him to an electrical post. Then Mohidul opened fire and a bullet hit Oliullah in his waist. Mohidul and Minna fled and local people rushed Oliullah to a nearby health centre and then to the MMCH.

Oliullah’s agitated associates clashed with the other group. Police brought the situation under control.

In another incident on Monday night, Mohidul Sheikh, a suspected smuggler, was attacked by his opponent Senaul Sheikh and his henchmen. This led to the gang war with bombs. “The attacks and counter attacks continued and on Tuesday morning, Royesh Sheikh, a 20-year-old from Senaul’s camp was shot at,” said a source.

A large contingent of police led by Anish Sarkar, the ASP (rural) and Prasanta Debnath, the DSP (headquarters), rushed to Harugram. Amitabha Maiti, the Malda SP, said a quantity of weapons had been seized.

Police officers said many youths of Kaliachak, including school and college students, were into drug peddling. “The trend is alarming. In a recent incident at Baliadanga in Kaliachak, two brown sugar peddlers who were merely 20 years old, had fired at a police team. It shows their desperation,” pointed out a police officer.

Narcotics seizure

The special operation group of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police, along with a team of Siliguri police station, conducted a joint raid to arrest one Ashok Gour, 50, with 1kg of brown sugar worth around Rs 2 crore on him. Gour, from Kheta Sarai located in Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh, is a truck driver. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act against him, police said.

Additional reporting by Bireswar Banerjee in Siliguri