Trader shot in daylight

Rishra, April 25: A businessman and former Congress councillor was shot dead this morning about 100 yards from the police station in Hooghly’s Rishra.

Police said Sachindeo Sharma, 38, was passing by a level crossing near Rishra station, , about 30 km from Calcutta, when a group of three hurled two bombs and fired at him. Sharma died on the spot.

Police said the murder could be a fallout of business rivalry.

Mystery death

Krishnagar: Three members of a family have died of an unknown disease in Nadia’s Betai village since February. Health officials said Tapas Majumder, 35, died on February 11 after complaining of severe headache, abdominal pain and loose motion. His brother Timir and wife Sabitri, who died this month, also had the same symptoms. A medical team has been sent to the village, about 150 km from Calcutta.

Girl suicide

Haringhata: An 18-year-old girl committed suicide on Tuesday after she was driven out of the house of the boy whom she had allegedly married in secret. Deepika Naskar, who had appeared for Madhyamik this year, gulped down acid on her way home.

Norwester

Cooch Behar: A storm lashed the district on Tuesday evening, flattening over 1,000 homes and ravaging jute plants and boro paddy. Uprooted trees fell on electric and telephone cables, crippling communication across the district.

Freak death

Chapra: Akibul Sheikh, 12, was killed when he drank pesticide from a bottle mistaking it for water here in Nadia. Police said Akib went to call his father home on Wednesday morning when he drank from the bottle lying on the field.