A man who was returning home on his motorcycle after deposing before a magistrate in an Alipore court was shot at by the pillion rider on another motorcycle on Budge Budge Trunk Road on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The bullet hit Sheikh Altafuddin, a murder accused, in his neck. He has been admitted to SSKM Hospital.
The motorcycle on which the attacker was riding pillion was reportedly tailing Altafuddin for a few minutes before rolling up next to it from the right.
The shooting happened in a busy neighbourhood on Budge Budge Trunk Road, around 20km from the Alipore court. A spell of showers had just ceased and there were fewer than usual vehicles on the road.
Atiur Rahaman, who was riding pillion on Altafuddin’s bike, did not suffer any injury.
The police said Altafuddin was on his way home after deposing in a murder case. “There are multiple criminal cases against him. Today he went to the court for a deposition in a murder case in which he is an accused,” said an IPS officer.
An eyewitness said he saw a motorcycle skidding in the middle of the road and ramming into an iron post along the road just outside his office.
The two men on the bike — Altafuddin and his friend — walked into an autorickshaw and left. One of the men, he said, was bleeding from near his ears.
The eyewitness said he had heard a sound like a “cracker explosion” just before the motorcycle crashed.
CCTV footage that has emerged shows the bike with two persons travelling along the road and a second one — also with two riders — catching up from behind.
Neither of the two on the first bike was wearing a helmet. At least one on the second bike was wearing a helmet.
The footage shows a man riding pillion on another bike was wearing a white shirt and had his face covered with a white helmet.
Another footage shows a bike skidding before ramming into an iron post
The moment the second bike came close to the first, the pillion rider (in white) moved both his hands towards his left with something that looked like a gun, targeting the bike to his left.
An officer of the Diamond Harbour police district said it was apparent that the men who tried to kill Altafuddin were aware of his whereabouts and the route he would take on his way home.
Altafuddin had kept his motorcycle parked outside Budge Budge railway station before leaving for Alipore. While returning, they reached Budge Budge on a train and took the bike before heading for Nodakhali.
“The assailants must have been following him,” said the officer.
“Altafuddin and his companion have identified the two men on the other bike and shared their names with the police. One person was arrested,” the officer said.
