Kolkata, Oct 20: A former Trinamool Congress (TMC) councilor narrowly escaped a murder attempt on Monday morning, coinciding with Kali Puja celebrations. Miscreants opened fire at Nirmal Dutta, TMC’s Bidhannagar trade union leader and former councilor, in the Duttabad area of Salt Lake.

The bullet missed the target, and his head was smashed with the butt of the gun, injuring him on the head. Dutta, bleeding profusely, was taken to a nearby hospital and later discharged after initial treatment.

The police have launched an investigation into the matter. Nirmal Dutta is a former Trinamool councilor of ward number 38 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.

According to police, he came to the ward office of the Duttabad area in Salt Lake at around 7.30 a.m. to supervise the work. At that time, a young man wearing a T-shirt came and fired at him. He fired two shots, but both missed the target. Then Dutta was caught by the miscreant. A scuffle broke out between them. Then the miscreant hit him with the butt of a gun and smashed his head. Following the attack, the miscreant fled the spot.

The Bidhannagar South Police Station has launched an investigation and is examining the CCTV footage to identify the miscreant.

After initial treatment at a local hospital, Dutta told media persons, “I had come to the ward office for work. Suddenly, a young man wearing a pink shirt and a mask pulled out a gun. He fired two shots but missed. When he tried to shoot the third time, I got hold of him. He hit me on the head with the butt of the gun. As soon as the people of the neighborhood came out, he fled through the road beside Bengal Chemicals.”

When asked whether he recognised the accused, the former councilor said, “He was wearing a mask, so I could not recognise him, but his eyes and face are still clear in my memory. There was a similar attack on me eight to nine months ago. I do not suspect anyone. I work for people, that is why I am being targeted. Duttabad area, over the years, has transformed. Earlier, there were liquor shops. Now there are roads, electricity, and water.”

New Delhi, Oct 20: Even as mafia don Dawood Ibrahim continues to enjoy the hospitality offered to him by Pakistan, fears of an underworld resurgence in India are cropping up.

The Dawood Ibrahim syndicate is in desperate need of attention, and this has made them scale up extortion threats in various parts of the country.

The fear of Dawood had died down considerably, and this had led to a lull in operations, especially in Maharashtra, the main hub of the syndicate.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that the D-Gang thrived on fear, but now with that factor down, the syndicate is finding it hard to operate.

Dawood Ibrahim, who thrives on the narcotics business, is feeling the heat after the Indian government launched an all-out war against the drug mafia. There have been scores of busts in recent months, and the D-Gang has been facing huge losses.

Police officials probing cases relating to the gang say that since the number of drug busts has gone up considerably, the Dawood network is losing grip.

This has also resulted in the number of recruits going down drastically. The charm of joining the underworld has died down a lot, and this is hurting Dawood and his network. In order to operate seamlessly in India, the gang is in need of more members who could carry out the drug business. There is a massive shortage of manpower, and this is hampering operations largely.

Officials say that the Dawood gang does not seem powerful any longer. The clout within the police, political and Bollywood circles is dying. This is largely to do with the fact that the operations that the gang has been carrying out in recent times are dying down.

Hence, Dawood and his cronies in Pakistan decided to re-strategise. It was decided to slow down the drug business temporarily until they can recruit many more into their fold. The idea now is to run an abduction and extortion racket. This would not only bring in the money, but the fear of the underworld would return.

The gang has decided to indulge in high-profile abductions and then seek ransom.

Further, it was also decided to set up extortion cells in different parts of the country and seek money.

Officials say that this is not so much about the money. The D-Gang has ample money, but feels that the fear factor is not there. It wants to bring back those days when the underworld was thriving in the 1980s. At that time, many were impressed with the manner in which the underworld worked. The very fact that fear could be driven into the minds of the people itself was a caveat for the youngsters to join the underworld.

Hence, it was decided by the D-Gang, based in Karachi, to set up as many extortion cells as possible across the country. The biggest focus of the gang while setting up these cells would be in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

The Mumbai Crime Branch is tracking these cells. Recently, the Crime Branch busted one such gang that was being operated at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim. This cell was being handled by Sajid Electricwala and his associate Shabbir Siddiqui. Last week, too the a case came to light where the D-Gang had demanded Rs 5 crore from cricketer Rinku Singh. The cricketer’s team has been receiving threats on a regular basis, demanding extortion money.

In another case, Zeeshan Siddiqui, the son of slain NCP leader Baba Siddiqui, had received threats demanding a ransom of Rs 10 crore. Two accused, Mohammad Dilshad and Mohammed David, were arrested in Trinidad and Tobago with the help of Interpol. The case too was linked to the Dawood network.

These rising incidents are a clear sign that Dawood Ibrahim wants to bring the underworld back in India. In order to do so, he is setting up extortion cells with the intention of creating fear and panic in the minds of the people.

Thane: The Thane city witnessed massive traffic congestion on Monday morning as thousands gathered near Masunda Lake to celebrate the traditional Diwali dawn festivities. The celebrations, which draw youth from across Thane district every year, brought the city’s central roads to a standstill, causing severe inconvenience to office-goers and daily commuters.

Despite the festive mood, Monday was not an official holiday for many employees. As a result, people heading to work found themselves stuck for hours in gridlocks stretching across Court Naka, Jambhalinaka, Ram Maruti Road, Naupada and Masunda Lake Road, key routes connecting to Thane Railway Station. Frustrated passengers expressed anger as buses and autos crawled through the packed streets. Many were unable to reach their offices on time.

The Diwali dawn event at Masunda Lake is a decades-old tradition in Thane, marked by cultural performances, loud music, and vibrant gatherings of college students and youth. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with several political leaders and film industry personalities, also attended the celebrations this year. The huge turnout added to the chaos around Gadkari Chowk, Ram Maruti Road, and other nearby junctions.

Anticipating the rush, the Thane Traffic Police had implemented several diversions to ease movement, but the impact was still widely felt. Vehicles from Dr Moose Chowk to Gadkari Chowk were diverted via Tower Naka and Tembhinaka, while traffic from Gadkari Chowk towards Dr. Moose Chowk was rerouted through Almeida Chowk and Harinivas. Similar diversions were applied at Ghantali Mandir, Gajanan Maharaj Chowk, and Rajmata Vadapav Center.

Despite the temporary inconvenience, locals said the Diwali dawn tradition remains an essential part of Thane’s festive identity. However, many urged authorities to manage traffic better next year so that celebrations and daily life can coexist smoothly.