Police have arrested three men in connection with the deaths of two cab drivers whose bodies were found in Dankuni and Entally within a day of each other, with investigators alleging that the suspects booked cabs as passengers, attacked the drivers and robbed them.
The arrests followed an investigation by Kolkata Police, the Chandannagar Commissionerate and Dankuni police using CCTV footage and mobile phone data. The accused have been identified as Sheikh Aryan, Sheikh Monirul and Sheikh Sahadat. One is from Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas, while the other two are from Sodepur, police said.
The first body was recovered on October 6 from Bhadua in Dankuni. The deceased was identified as Ramji Kairi, a cab driver from Birati. His cab was later found near Mallikbazar in Kolkata. The following morning, the body of another cab driver, Bhagwanprasad Gupta of Madhyamgram, was recovered from Entally in eastern Kolkata.
According to the police account reported by Sangbad Pratidin, the two incidents followed a similar pattern. The suspects allegedly hired cabs while posing as passengers and targeted drivers operating from areas including Birati and Madhyamgram. Investigators said the motive was robbery, with mobile phones, gold ornaments and cash allegedly taken from the victims.
Police also said the suspects tied the drivers’ legs after meeting resistance during the alleged robberies. In the first case, the victim’s body was left on a road in Dankuni. In the second case, the suspects allegedly brought the vehicle into Kolkata but did not abandon the body in the same manner.
The investigation has also focused on the alleged use of isolated stretches of the Kalyani Expressway. Police said the attacks took place at night, after which the vehicles were brought into Kolkata and abandoned. The cars could not be sold for scrap, according to the report.
One of the arrested men is believed to have worked as a driver and can operate a vehicle, police said. Investigators also described the group as an alleged robbery gang operating in the northern suburbs. The reported pattern of selecting drivers from familiar operating areas has placed renewed attention on the risks faced by app-based and other commercial drivers working late-night routes, although the police investigation remains focused on establishing the suspects’ role in each case.
The three accused are currently in the custody of Dankuni police. Kolkata Police are expected to take custody of them in connection with the Entally case. Further investigation will determine the sequence of events, the full extent of the alleged crimes and whether additional cases are linked to the arrests.
