On Friday night, a teenager tried to shoot a Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor in Kolkata at close range, but the gun didn’t work. The councillor, Sushanta Ghosh, narrowly escaped the attack, and on Saturday, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, who is also a senior member of Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet, sharply criticized the police and demanded immediate action.
Hakim said, “Enough is enough. Act now,” and expressed frustration with the state’s law enforcement. He emphasised that Bengal, known for its cultural creativity, should not adopt the criminal culture seen in other states like Bihar and Gujarat.
He reminded the police that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had repeatedly instructed them to increase security along the borders to stop criminals from entering Bengal. "Where is the police's intelligence network? They say weapons are being smuggled from Munger in Bihar. It's the police’s job to stop these arms shipments," Hakim added.
Following the attack, two suspects, Yuvraj Singh and Ashraf Khan, were arrested. Kolkata's Police Commissioner, Manoj Verma, explained that Ghosh's supporters caught Singh when he failed to escape on the scooter used in the attack. Khan was arrested in East Burdwan while trying to flee to Bihar.
The investigation revealed that Khan had planned the attack and paid Singh Rs 10,000 to carry it out. Khan had also arranged a safe place for Singh to hide in Kolkata’s port area.
The attack occurred when Ghosh, a councillor from Ward 108, was talking with supporters outside his house in the Kasba area. A scooter stopped nearby, and a young man got off, pulled out a gun, and aimed at Ghosh. When the gun didn’t fire, the attacker tried to flee but was quickly caught.
Ghosh believes the attack is linked to his efforts to stand up against antisocial elements in the area, who are reportedly protected by some politicians. However, he did not name any specific political party involved.
Meanwhile, the prime accused, Iqbal (also known as Afroz Khan or Gulzar), was arrested in Purba Bardhaman district while trying to escape to Jharkhand. Iqbal had been the mastermind behind the attack and had convinced Singh to carry out the plan for Rs 10,000. Iqbal also provided Singh with the gun and arranged for his accommodation in Lake Town, Kolkata.
The police also arrested a taxi driver, Ahmed, who had driven Singh and Iqbal from Babughat to Lake Town the night before the attack. Investigators are checking CCTV footage and talking to Ghosh’s associates to uncover more details.
Yuvraj Singh initially claimed to be a juvenile, but police found that he was lying after checking his documents.
After the incident, Ghosh received calls from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who expressed concern. Ghosh said, “I am not scared, but I am in shock. I will continue my fight for the party.”
Mayor Firhad Hakim, criticising the police, said, “West Bengal is not a place for criminals. I will ask the police to act now.” The police have increased security for Ghosh following the attack.
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