The body of 25-year-old Navin Mukherjee, described as an extortionist by police, was found in Jagatpur, near Baguiati, on Wednesday. He was killed on Tuesday night over a gang rivalry, said an officer.

“Mukherjee had a criminal background and was known as Bihari Swapan in the area. He was probably killed by another gang,” said superintendent of North 24-Parganas police Praveen Kumar.

Two or more men had overpowered Mukherjee and hit him with a blunt weapon, said the officer. “After the men were certain that Mukherjee had died, they dragged the body to the banks of a canal at Gobindanagar, in Jagatpur, and dumped it there. Local residents spotted the body early on Wednesday,” he added.