Youth killed, glare on drug ring

TT, Raiganj, Feb. 10: A contractor was shot and hacked to death allegedly by drug smugglers who suspected him of providing information about their activities to police in a Kaliachak village last night.

Abdul Barik, 25, who used to take up construction works in and outside Bengal, was returning his home at Bibigram on a motorcycle when he was murdered around 10.30pm yesterday.

"When Barik reached near his home, around 10 men on four motorcycles intercepted him. They took out firearms and fired 10-12 rounds at him. Barik fell on the spot. The assailants then took out daggers and hacked him. Hearing the firing and cries of Barik, people rushed out of their homes and took him to Malda Medical College and Hospital where doctors pronounced him brought-dead," said a source at Kaliachak police station.

Today, Barik's nephew filed a police complaint, accusing Impa Sheikh, the leader of an alleged drug smuggling ring at Bibigram, and his four associates of the murder.

"My uncle detested the activities of drug smugglers in the village. Impa is the leader of a drug smuggling racket there. For quite some time, he had been suspecting that my uncle was providing information about their illegal activities to the police. That is why they murdered him," said nephew Ismail Sheikh.

Bibigram is 20km from Malda

Sources said three weeks back, Ayesha Biwi, a resident of Bibigram and a member of Impa's racket, had been arrested in Manipur with 5kg of heroin. "When Impa learnt about the arrest, he started suspecting that Barik had given the tip-off to the police. That is why Impa targeted Barik," the police source said.

After the murder, the police raided the village and took into custody three cohorts of Impa. However, Impa has fled.