A middle-aged trader from Delhi, found lying unconscious near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue on the Maidan on Wednesday evening, died on Thursday.

A team from Maidan police station had taken R. Gambhir, in his 40s, to SSKM Hospital. “He regained consciousness in the hospital and complained of pain in his chest and stomach. He died early on Thursday. Gambhir’s family members, who reached Calcutta on Thursday, said his ATM card was missing from his wallet,” said an officer.

“Gambhir was smelling of alcohol when we took him to hospital. We are trying to find out whether he was drugged,” said another officer.

The investigators have found that the trader, who dealt in leather goods, had arrived in the city on December 28 to meet a client. He had put up in a hotel near New Market.

“The hotel authorities said two youths had visited him on Wednesday afternoon,” added the officer.