New Town hit-and-run case: 1 held

KOLKATA: Bidhannagar Police, late on Monday night arrested the accused of the hit and run case of New Town from Birati area.

The accused person, identified as Pratin Khara of China Town area in Topsia, claimed himself as a Director of the printing press of Sanmarg News and Allied Services Private Limited. However, police are yet to verify his claims.

The Deputy Commissioner of New Town division, Bidhannagar Police, Praween Prakash had promised that the culprits will be arrested within a day. Khara was arrested about 23 hours after the incident.

During interrogation, Khara reportedly said that he has a flat somewhere in New Town Action Area II from where he was going towards Eco Space. Khara also claimed that he was alone in the car when the tragic accident took place.

"We are going to interrogate him in police custody period to find out whether he is telling the truth," said Prakash.

Sources informed that police on the day of accident had found the logo of the car's manufacturer.

But, nobody was able to tell police about the model or gave any description of the car. Meanwhile, police found a few suspected movement of vehicles in several surveillance camera footage. From the footage police identified Khara's car and started checking the service centres to find out whether any accident car comes for repair. At the service centre near Ruby Crossing, cops found the car which was driven by a man on behalf of Khara.

On Tuesday after detaining the man who had come to the service centre, police grilled him and came to know about Khara. When police went to his residences, he was not there. While tracking his mobile tower location, cops came to know that Khara was hiding at his in law's house in Birati. Later in the evening, he was picked up from there. Late on Monday night, he was arrested after a few hours of interrogation.

On Sunday around 5:10 pm, the student identified as Shakil Ahmed was ran over by the car driven by Khara when he was walking along the road towards Eco Space.

Khara allegedly hit Ahmed after hitting two guardrails and crossing three consecutive speed breakers that were installed before the Aliah University crossing. Ahmed was declared brought dead at a private hospital in New Town area.