Youth 'caught while stealing', beaten to death

Kolkata: A youth, suspected to be a thief, was allegedly beaten to death at Salkia in Howrah on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Ershard Shaikh (35) of Pipulberia at Tehatta in Nadia.

According to sources, on Sunday morning, a caller informed Malipanchghora police station that a body was spotted on the premises of a warehouse near Salkia Chowrasta. After a few minutes, the police went to the spot and found a youth was lying unconsciously on the warehouse premises. He was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. During frisking, the police found an Aadhar Card with Shaikh's name on it.

After examining his body, the doctor assumed that he might have been beaten up death and probably he died due to internal injury and excessive loss of blood. The police went to the spot and questioned the labourers of the warehouse and local residents.

During questioning, some local residents of Salkia Chowrasta informed the police that they saw a man was getting beaten up by some labourers of the warehouse. Some local residents said Shaikh tried stealing something from the wardrobe on Sunday morning. At that moment, he was caught by some labourers. He was tied to a tree and was beaten up by 4 to 5 people.

The police found ambiguities in a labourers' statement and detained him. After scrutinising some CCTV camera footages, it was seen five persons had beaten Shaikh to death.

The detained labourer identified as Noor Alam reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation. Four other accused persons are still absconding. The police are trying to trace them. Murutia police station in Nadia has been asked to inform Shaikh's family about his death.