In a horrific murder in Asansol in West Bengal, a man was shot dead from point-blank range by two gunmen at his own hotel on Friday. The entire incident was caught on CCTV cameras of the hotel, which showed that businessman Arvind Bhagat was shot by two men when Bhagat was talking to some people inside the hotel.
The two shooters entered the hotel in the Bhagat Singh More area in Asansol, West Bengal, and shot at Arvind Bhagat (56), who was seating on a sofa. Bhagat was talking to two other men on another sofa in front of him in the lounge of Hotel Meera International at that time. The hotel on Vivekanand Sarani is only around 500 metres from the Asansol South Police Station.
Five shots were fired at him hitting different parts of his body. One of the two shooters was wearing a helmet, and the second was covering his head with a monkey cap. Both shooters arrived at the sport on a two-wheeler, entered the hotel, approached Arvind Bhagat calmly and directly, and then pointed revolvers in his direction. They fired at him from point-blank range and continued firing at him even after he collapsed from the couch. He received two gunshots each on the chest and stomach, and one on the head.
The two persons who were talking to Bhagat were shocked by the sudden murder, and they got up and moved out from the spot. The two gunmen departed the hotel lobby after shooting at Bhagat. The concierge attempted to stop them, but they pushed him away by threatening to shoot him. They quickly fled after that.
Arvind Bhagat was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
While the shooting was caught in the CCTV of the hotel, as there is no CCTV in front of the hotel on in nearby areas covering the road, police could not find many clues about the killers. According to eyewitnesses, they fled towards national highway 19.
The police have started an investigation after the murder. The inquiry was taken over by the West Bengal Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) division, and a preliminary examination has established the role of contract killers. The reports also stated that they had followed Bhagat to learn his routines and had practised the crime to prevent any slip-ups. The investigative team is yet to establish who ordered a hit on him.
According to police, apart from running hotels, Bhagat had other businesses, including lending money. It is suspected that he has been killed over rivalry in business.
Bhagat is survived by his wife, two boys and two daughters. According to the accounts, the victim operated as a real estate broker in Asansol and had a great deal of clout there. He and other businessmen had a falling out over land dealings. But, the authorities have not yet confirmed that a previous dispute is what caused his death on Friday.
Police suspect that the killer might have entered Jharkhand through the national highway. Searches have already started at Bengal-Jharkhand border points.
