KOLKATA: Patuli cops on Tuesday arrested two men - a promoter and his driver - for allegedly threatening a few auto drivers at gunpoint at the Garia auto stand, demanding they take the duo to an interior address in Sonarpur. When the operators refused, these men threatened to fire at their heads. Cops later seized loaded firearms from the accused when the victims managed to alert a police PCR van stationed nearby.
"Between 5am and 5.30-am, a commotion was reported at Garia More. Police apprehended Dipayan Dutta (40) of Garia Narkelbagan with a loaded country-made pistol, along with Chiranjit Karmakar. They had allegedly come by car in an inebriated state and threatened auto drivers. Their statement is being verified by checking CCTV footage, witness accounts and call record details. Their antecedents are also being verified," said joint CP (crime & organization) Syed Waquar Raza.
According to auto operators plying between Garia and Rajpur, the two men asked an auto driver to take one of them to Sonarpur. The operator said it was not on his route. The accused then entered into an argument with the driver. Moments later, cops said, Dutta whipped out a gun and held it to the auto operator's forehead. Other auto drivers rushed in and snatched the gun from Dutta. The cops were alerted and the accused were nabbed from the spot.
"During questioning, the accused claimed they were out on a joyride at night. They were inebriated and claimed they wanted to play a prank on the auto drivers who misbehave with passengers. However, they said they don't remember what transpired there," an officer said.