It was in all sense murder most foul- but as the fact remains the case could be cracked within days as the eyes in the form of CCTV in and around the city could watch and pick up some very important thread and gave the cops their clues.

 As the investigation into the brutal murder of city youth Abhijit Poddar was conducted, one thing became crystal clear that the murder was committed in a pre-planned and cold blooded manner. Police had already arrested three main accused –Sagar Saha, Suman Das and Pradip Debbarma -and some more were likely to be arrested following the interrogation report.

However, the statements of the arrested and also the CCTV footages of some business installations and of those across the city gave some ideas as to how Abhijit was first assaulted and then pushed inside the vehicle before taken to Khumulawng.

On the fateful night of December 25 last  Abhijit was found having dinner with a girl and a couple at Sonar Tori Hotel in Fire brigade Choumuhani. The girl was his old friend and the couple was his old acquaintance.

The CCTV footage showed that the car in which he was abducted had been moving around the area for quite some time. It made several rounds and kept lurking in the vicinity.

After dinner Abhijit came out with his girl friend and the couple. They after some small talks in front of Sona Tori hotel left. The girl and the couple walked down towards PHQ and left.

Just at that moment the car appeared from Fire Service Choumuhani area, passed the Hotel driving down the other side of the road divider under the flyover and then took the U turn to reach a bit far from the hotel where it stopped. It was then the car’s number was caught in a CCTV of a roadside shop as it slowed down for the U turn and also stopped.

“The car stopped facing Fire Service Choumuhani about some 30/40 feet away from the Sonar Tori hotel. Abhijit was standing in front of the hotel as his dinner partners by then just left. At time someone from the car called Abhijit. None however got down. Abhijit went to the car and the way he walked towards the car it seemed that he knew the people who were inside and called him”, said one source privy of the investigation.

“They started discussing something –though only Abhijit could be seen. Others were still inside the car. Soon there were visible altercations and all of a sudden someone from inside the car started hitting Abhijit. Within seconds some hands more joined and they pulled Abhijit inside the car and immediately it sped off—drove past Sonar Tori Hotel, took right turn at Fire Service Choumuhani and went straight towards IGM Choumuhani”.

The sources said, what becomes clear from the CCTV footage that the abduction and murder was pre planned, as the car was evidently waiting for him. They also tried to avoid the public glare , or perhaps the CCTV too, as it stopped a bit far from the front of Sonar Tori hotel and the assailants were all along careful not to show their face”.

Abhijit was then taken to Khumulawng where he was brutally beaten and left unconscious and naked on the road. Next morning he succumbed to injuries.

In the meantime, police sources said while all incriminating materials could be identified and traced – including the mobile and burnt dresses, following the interrogation of the three—which confirmed their inculpatory involvement in the murder—the most important point was to ascertain the motive. There were several angles -right from financial to triangle love which were being explored. Police would also talk to the girl and the couple with who Abhijit was last seen dining.

“It may be very gruesome murder but it was not that complicated a case. The CCTVs in the city and also in the business establishment gave the first and most important clue and things started falling in places easily. Had this been a murder case of some years—there would have not been any CCTV. And the police would have to still grope in the dark. Now fact remains you are under constant watch  -this way or that way”, a senior source added. (Courtesy: Tripura Times)