Howrah Panchayat pradhan shot in Bally, one injured

Kolkata: A Pradhan of a Trinamool Congress-led panchayat in Howrah was shot by a miscreant on Thursday night in the Bally area while returning from a marriage ceremony as a pillion rider on a motorcycle.

Another person, who was riding the motorcycle, was also shot by the attacker.

According to sources, the Pradhan of Sampuipara–Basukati Panchayat, Debabrata Mondal alias Babu, was returning home around 10 pm after attending an invitation. He was riding pillion on his companion Anupam Rana’s motorcycle. While passing through Buro Shibatala in the Nishchinda area of Bally, a miscreant opened fire indiscriminately at the Pradhan. Rana suffered a bullet injury on his hand, while Mondal was shot in the shoulder and abdomen.

A CCTV footage telecast on a vernacular news channel showed Mondal falling on the road and apparently trying to take away something from the shooter’s hand. However, he failed and was assaulted and shot again. Millennium Post has not independently verified the authenticity of the footage.

While Mondal collapsed on the road, Rana managed to flee on his motorcycle. After the firing, the miscreant escaped. Local residents rushed both Mondal and Rana to a private hospital in Howrah. Later, Mondal was shifted to SSKM Hospital for better treatment, while Rana remained admitted at the private hospital.

Howrah Commissioner of Police Praveen Kumar Tripathi visited the hospital to assess Mondal’s condition. “Two persons were shot. Investigation has been started and those involved will be arrested soon,” he said.