Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) Satyajit Ghosh, son of Bhola Ghosh, one of the key witnesses against now suspended Trinamool Congress leader from Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, Sheikh Shahjahan, was killed in a road accident on Wednesday while he was accompanying his father to the court to get his statements recorded there.
Shahnur Molla, the driver of the car in which the witness and his deceased son were travelling, was also killed in the accident. However, the witness, Bhola Ghosh, had a close shave. The accident happened on Basanti Highway -- a state highway -- when a truck collided at full speed with the car in which the witness and his son were travelling.
The impact of the collision was such that the car fell into the roadside gutter. Satyajit Ghosh and Shahnur Molla died on the spot.
Both Bhola Ghosh and his elder son Biswajit Ghosh claimed that it was not a simple case of an accident. “The manner in which the truck collided with our car creates doubts that the aim was to kill me, since I am a witness in the case. I became senseless for some time after the collision. Everything seems to be pre-planned. I wish the police administration to investigate the matter properly.”
The witness's elder son, Biswajit Ghosh, said that he doubted two close associates of Sheikh Shahjahan, namely Moslem Khan and Sabita Roy, masterminded the plot to kill his father so that he could not get his statements recorded against Shahjahan.
The cops of the Basirhat Police District have started an investigation into the matter. However, the police said that till Wednesday afternoon, they have not received any official complaint claiming foul play in the matter.
BJP's Information Technology Cell Chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, issued a social media statement on the matter.
"This is the state of the law-and-order situation in West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. One of the witnesses in the Sheikh Shahjahan case is grievously injured in a tragic accident in Sandeshkhali. Two more people lost their lives in the incident. The accident occurred at around 7 a.m. this morning in the Najat area of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas. Today, a hearing in the Sheikh Shahjahan case was scheduled in court. One of the key witnesses, Bhola Ghosh, was travelling with his son along Basanti Road to testify when a truck coming from the opposite direction rammed into their car," Malviya's statement read.
"It is obvious that Shahjahan is eliminating witnesses one by one while sitting in jail. Is there any room for doubt that he has Mamata Banerjee’s patronage?" Malviya added.
Shahjahan is currently in judicial custody on various charges, which include masterminding the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at Sandeshkhali last year, illegal grabbing of land at Sandeshkhali, and sexual exploitation of the local women.
--IANS
src/pgh