Cooch Behar: 4 days after TMC leader’s shootout, no arrests yet
Cooch Behar: Four days after the daylight shootout at Dodear Haat in Cooch Behar where Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Amar Ray (35) was shot dead, police are yet to arrest the assailants. The incident has left traders and customers gripped by fear, sharply reducing both footfall and business activity in one of the district’s largest markets.
Dodear Haat, one of Cooch Behar’s busiest weekly markets, operates every Tuesday and Saturday. The violence unfolded last Saturday (August 9) when two assailants on a motorcycle opened fire in the crowded marketplace, killing Amar Ray, son of Dowaguri Gram Panchayat (GP) Pradhan Kuntala Ray, on the spot. His driver sustained a bullet injury on his leg and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
According to traders, the number of shops operating in the market has dropped significantly since the attack and customer turnout has also been visibly low. Many shopkeepers are now demanding regular police picketing and the installation of CCTV cameras to ensure security.
Police sources said several people have been questioned in connection with the case, but no arrests have been made so far. When the market reconvened on Tuesday, traders reported an unusually subdued atmosphere. “We are still in shock,” said local traders Gopal Sen and Pradeep Das. “Many shops remain closed and even those that are open have barely any customers.”
Gautam Ishore, secretary of the Dodear Haat Market Business Committee, said the fallout is already affecting livelihoods. “On a typical Tuesday, trade worth around
Rs 50 lakh takes place here, with vendors coming from Assam and nearby areas. However, this Tuesday, it has just crossed Rs 20 lakh,” he said.
He added that despite repeated appeals, CCTV cameras have yet to be installed in the market. “We will again submit a memorandum to the police, demanding permanent police presence on market days,” he said.
Local Panchayat member Sukanta De Sarkar announced that a meeting with traders will be organised soon to restore public confidence and bring normalcy back to the market.
