The shocking daylight murder of Sankar Jana, a 60-year-old jeweller from Kolkata’s Baranagar, has sent waves of fear across the city’s trading community. As reported by The Indian Express, Jana was found dead inside his shop, Saraswati Chain and Ornament, on Friday afternoon, his legs bound with a rope and his head bearing signs of blunt force trauma.
Police said the attackers were believed to be five in total and they posed as customers before assaulting and killing Jana. They then looted jewellery and cash before fleeing.
CCTV footage and forensic clues under scrutiny
According to investigators, the crime occurred between 3 pm and 3:30 pm. Police are now analysing at least ten CCTV recordings from the shop and surrounding areas to identify the culprits. “From the CCTV visuals, it is understood that five youths, aged between 20 and 25 years, were involved in the murder,” a police officer told The Indian Express.
A forensic team has also recovered an iron rod and red chilli powder from the scene. “Probably, the assailants had thrown red chilli powder at Sankar Jana and used the iron rod to assault him,” an officer said. The post-mortem confirmed that Jana died from “blunt force trauma.”
Police suspect planned reconnaissance and timed attack
Barrackpore Police Commissioner Murlidhar Sharma said that the attack appeared to be planned. “The assailants came with an intention to loot the shop and carried out the murder and loot within 15 minutes,” he said.
Police believe the group had scouted the area earlier and deliberately chose the afternoon when neighbouring shops were shut after Durga Puja. Jana’s mobile phone remains missing and switched off, and police are examining his call detail records.
Authorities have appealed to locals to share any dashcam or mobile footage from 2:30 pm to 4 pm that might help track the masked assailants, who may have escaped using the nearby Dumdum Metro or railway route.
