Firing at shoe baron’s house

On Thursday morning, the attackers arrived on two-wheelers and fired several rounds at random, creating panic in the neighbourhood. Although armed constables stood guard outside the house, they did not return fire and the shooters managed to get away. No casualties were reported.

Police sources indicate that the attack was intended to terrorise the family and to hamper the ongoing investigation into Ashis Dey’s death. The brothers co-owned Sreeleathers, a shoe company with a chain of shops in New Delhi, Kolkata and Ranchi.

Ashis Dey had faced harassment from extortionists for several months before his death. His murder on November 2, 2007, triggered widespread protests by businessmen and local residents prompting police to go on overdrive to apprehend the killers.