Kolkata, 25 February (H.S.):

The police arrested a father-son duo early Wednesday in connection with the shooting incident in the Tiljala area of the metropolis. According to the police, the arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Salman and his father, Mohammad Anwar. They were apprehended while trying to flee the city.

The police recovered a firearm, a magazine, and two live cartridges from their possession. The two had gone underground since the incident. Late Tuesday night, the police received information that they were planning to leave the city under cover of darkness. Following this, the police conducted a raid near Tiljala Railway Gate No. 2. They were apprehended after laying a siege near a rickshaw stand around 3 a.m.

According to the police, the shooting occurred on Tiljala Road in m Beniapukur police station area late Monday night. Allegedly, Mohammad Salman called a local youth, Mohammad Niaz alias Raja, out of his house and shot him. Preliminary investigations revealed that the dispute allegedly began over the theft of two soft drink bottles.

According to reports, on Monday afternoon, an elderly shopkeeper accused a local youth of theft after two bottles went missing from the refrigerator outside his shop. The youth's mother disputed this accusation. The shopkeeper called a young man named Suraj from the neighboring area to mediate the matter. Niaz objected to this, leading to tensions between the two parties.

The dispute resurfaced in the evening. Allegedly, Salman's father also supported the decision to call Suraj, which escalated the argument. According to eyewitnesses, Salman threatened Niaz during the altercation.

Family members said that Salman called Niaz out of the house at around 1 a.m. on the pretext of a conversation and, as soon as he emerged, opened fire on him. Niaz, who works in a garage, was hit by two bullets in his leg. He was immediately admitted to SSKM Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Doctors say that his condition is currently stable. The police may seek custody of both for further investigation. A detailed investigation into the case is underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey