Usti market shooting: Main accused among 8 arrested, weapons recovered

Police have arrested eight people, including the main accused, Khokhan Mandal, in connection with the February 6 shooting at Usti’s Bagdaria Bazaar, which resulted in the death of Buddhadev Haldar. Officials have also recovered three firearms and eight rounds of ammunition used in the crime. Additional Superintendent of Police (Zonal) Mithun Kumar De confirmed the arrests, stating that a special investigation team was formed immediately after the incident. Raids were conducted across multiple districts, leading to the arrests within 20 days.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the shooting was linked to a land ownership dispute. Authorities found that the accused had been operating from secret hideouts and avoiding regular phone communications to evade tracking. “The accused were not using normal phones, but we acted on intelligence inputs and arrested them,” said Mithun Kumar De. Police sources stated that extensive surveillance and informant networks played a key role in tracing the suspects.

With all prime suspects now in custody, further legal proceedings are underway. Officials are verifying whether additional individuals were involved in planning the attack. The recovered weapons and ammunition have been sent for forensic analysis, and police are continuing their investigation into the land dispute that led to the crime. Security measures in the area have been tightened to prevent further violence.