Fulbari, 19th August: A tragic and shocking incident emerged from Fulbari as the man, identified as Gautam Das, who went missing under mysterious circumstances during a trip with his friends was found dead at Lockgate No. 01 of Mahananda Barrage. The lifeless body was recovered five days after his disappearance.
According to reports, Gautam Das, a resident of Durga Das Colony in Ward No. 20 of Siliguri, had left for a trip to the Teesta Canal area in Fulbari on August 14 with five friends in an e-rickshaw. However, shortly afterwards, Gautam Das called his wife, informing her that two of his friends were assaulting him. The call was abruptly disconnected, and his phone was switched off. Following the incident, his family filed a complaint at the New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Police Station. The police initiated an investigation and subsequently arrested the five friends who were with Gautam.
Later, a search operation was conducted by the disaster management team and NJP police in the Teesta Canal. On the evening of August 18, locals spotted a body floating in the Mahananda Barrage in Fulbari. Upon being informed, the police and Gautam Das’s family rushed to the scene, where the body was identified.
The deceased’s family has alleged that Gautam Das was murdered by his friends and his body was disposed in the water. Furthermore, they called for severe punishment for the accused. The police have sent the body for post-mortem and have launched a thorough investigation into the case.