2 Gujarati bizmen kidnapped, looted on gun point in Kolkata; police launches manhunt

The Kolkata Police have launched a comprehensive investigation after a prominent merchant based in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, was swindled and his two personal assistants were robbed of ₹42 lakh at gunpoint in South Kolkata. The elaborate criminal operation, which initially unraveled during the first week of May 2026, surfaced prominently on Monday after the victimized entrepreneur arrived in West Bengal to file an official police complaint. According to the deposition, a localized group of conmen masqueraded as established logistics traders to lure the out-of-state merchant into a fraudulent commodity trade pact.

The cross-border transaction began when the Kolkata-based suspects contacted the Gujarat merchant, promising immediate dispatch of premium bulk goods to Gandhinagar upon a verified upfront cash payment of ₹42 lakh. Relying on the commercial understanding, the dealer dispatched his two trusted employees to Kolkata with a secure brief containing the massive cash amount. Upon landing, the two assistants were directed to a residential address located in the New Santoshpur area under the jurisdiction of the Survey Park Police Station, under the impression that they would be validating the cargo receipts before releasing the funds.

However, the situational dynamic shifted violently when the couriers entered the designated premises. The employees were immediately forced into a secluded room where a gang of six armed robbers held firearms to their heads, snatched the bag containing the ₹42 lakh, and securely locked the victims from the outside. Shortly after, to prevent any immediate local alarm, the gang extracted the captive employees at gunpoint under the pretense of escorting them back to Howrah Railway Station. Instead, they loaded them into a large getaway vehicle, drove them toward the Kona Expressway in Howrah, and violently pushed them out at an isolated stretch before speeding away.

Stranded on the highway, the terrified employees managed to find their way back to Howrah station and caught a train back to Gujarat to brief their employer on the entire hostage ordeal. Following an initial delay due to trauma and domestic consultations, the Gandhinagar businessman traveled down to Kolkata on Monday to formally initiate a criminal case of armed robbery and kidnapping at the Survey Park Police Station. Specialized detective departments are currently scanning call records, tracing the mobile footprints of the suspects, and analyzing digital feeds from numerous CCTV networks spanning South Kolkata and Howrah to track down the getaway vehicle and locate the safe house.