Kolkata, Nov. 9 -- Panic gripped the Rakhit Para area of Sarsuna in the wee hours of Monday after a local resident opened fire near a Kali Puja pandal, disrupting the festive atmosphere and sending residents running for cover.
Police have arrested the accused, identified as Raj Paul, though the firearm used in the incident is yet to be recovered.
According to police, the incident took place around 3 am on Monday when local residents were celebrating Kali Puja and bursting crackers.
Paul, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, allegedly got involved in a heated argument with another person identified as Dinesh Sharma over organising two Kali pujas in the locality. During the argument over better organisations of the Puja, Paul suddenly pulled out a firearm and fired two rounds in the air. While initial local accounts suggested the firing was an act of reckless celebration, later police reports revealed a more targeted motive.
Alert residents immediately locked the accused inside a room and informed the Sarsuna Police Station.
A large contingent of police force rushed to the spot and took Paul into custody. Officers recovered empty cartridge shells from the scene.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.