HOWRAH: A
fish vendor was
shot dead early on Friday on
Bankim Setu. Footage from a CCTV showed three men circling around victim Tarak Bhuniya (60) and firing at him. They also snatched his bag containing around Rs 8,000 in cash and fled. When cops raided the hideout of notorious extortionist Gulab Khan for his suspected involvement in the case, his gang members fired two rounds at them and fled the spot near Ghushuri Jute Mill.
Bhuniya, the fish seller of Kalibabur Bazaar, was passing by the cab-way of Bankim Setu around 4.30am when the miscreants accosted him and shot him from point blank range.
He used to sell fish procured from Howrah wholesale market. "For a long time, he has been getting threats from a gang of extortionists, who have been demanding Rs 50,000 from him," another fish trader from the same area, Alok Maity, said.
On Friday morning, Bhuniya was heading to the Howrah market with Rs 8,000. Police studied CCTV footage that showed three men attacking him. "They carried revolvers with them. They shot him below his waist, snatched his bag and fled," said an officer at Golabari PS. Police took Bhuniya to Howrah District Hospital where he was declared "brought dead". Police have started a murder case and identified the miscreants. DC, North Howrah, Amit Rathore, said, "We know the miscreants. They will be arrested soon."