Entertainment street springs back to life a day after attack but ‘what could have been’ fears linger
Times of India | 17 November 2024
123 Kolkata: The entertainment and hangout zone on Rajdanga Main Road returned to normal almost 24 hours after the attack on Trinamool councillor Sushanta Ghosh outside his house on Friday evening. However, a sense of fear and panic remained among residents, businessmen and visitors to the area, which houses a mall, a visa application centre, multiple eateries, bars and high-rises. They were scared and shocked, thinking about what could have happened if the gun had fired.
On Saturday, TOI spoke to several residents, businessmen and visitors who frequent the area in the evening. They asked if the security of a councillor is at stake, how will common people move around the area.
Dipali Mondal, a senior citizen who lives next to Ghosh's house at Chakraborty Para, Shantipally, close to Rajdanga Main Road, spent a sleepless night after the incident. "We have been living here since 2002 and this is the first time we experienced such a scary situation when two miscreants attempted to shoot at the councillor, my next-door neighbour. On hearing people scream, I came down to find out what happened. The incident has left me horrified. My husband, who has a pacemaker, is also worried," she said.
Film producer Provat Roy, who owns an eatery near the spot of the attack, said, "I have been living in this area for 35 years, and of late, anti-socials roam around this place. I was sitting on the pavement and my customers were dining inside the eatery when the incident happened. It has left us panicked."
The spot of the incident outside the councillor's house has been cordoned off by the police.
A café run on the ground floor of his house was shut on Saturday. Md Fahim, a worker at the café, said, "We have downed the shutters today for security reasons as directed by the owner."
Ramnath Roy, a local resident of the area, said, "I was managing customers at my dhaba when the incident happened. The customers got nervous as they heard a murder attempt was made at a stone's throw distance. I closed the shop and went home, which is located nearby."
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) deployed men to trim trees in the Shantipally area on Saturday morning so that the CCTVs in the area capture clear views.
Amit Lamba, owner of an electronic goods shop, said, "The footage of the attack was collected from the CCTV installed outside. I closed the shop around 8 pm on Friday and the incident happened about 10 minutes later. The trimming of trees is necessary as they often block the CCTV cameras."