Criminal Raja Dutta shot dead by rival gangsters near Belgharia Expressway

A notorious criminal was shot dead in an alleged gang rivalry near the Belgharia Expressway in North Dum Dum area, in the northern fringes of Kolkata early on Monday, triggering a major police investigation into what officers suspect was a pre-planned attack by a rival group.

The deceased, identified as Raja Dutta, was found with multiple bullet injuries near Khalisakota along the Belgharia Expressway. Police said he was known to law enforcement agencies and had been named in several criminal cases in the past.

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Investigators said that Raja was travelling on a motorcycle with two associates in the early hours when he is believed to have come face to face with members of a rival gang. Preliminary findings suggest that the assailants were already waiting in the area and were personally known to the victim.

Police suspect the attackers first snatched Raja’s firearm before opening fire on him from point-blank range. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed on the spot. The motive behind the confrontation is yet to be established, although investigators believe the murder could be linked to an old criminal rivalry.

After receiving information about the firing, personnel from Dum Dum police station rushed to the spot and rescued the injured man. He was initially taken to a nearby private hospital before being referred to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Police said Raja Dutta had been associated with criminal activities for several years and was listed as a notorious offender in police records. Investigators are examining whether the killing was the fallout of an earlier dispute between rival gangs and are trying to identify others involved in the incident.

A forensic team visited the crime scene and collected evidence, while officers have begun scanning CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to trace the movements of the attackers and determine the route they used to escape. Police are also questioning Raja’s associates to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the shooting. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, Shameer Ahmed, visited the spot in the morning to supervise the investigation.

Senior officers said all possible angles, including gang rivalry and personal enmity, are being examined.

Local BJP worker Abhijit Chowdhury alleged that anti-social elements had been operating from a Trinamool Congress party office in the locality. He claimed that the office had been vandalised during the night, although he said he was unaware of those responsible.