Fish Trader Kidnapped in North 24 Parganas: Shocking Case Highlights Alarming Lawlessness in Bengal
In a chilling reminder of the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal, a Delhi-based fish trader, Nazim Chauhan, was abducted in broad daylight from the Shasan area of North 24 Parganas on Tuesday.
The kidnappers, emboldened by alleged political backing, demanded a ransom of ₹1 crore. The fact that such a crime could unfold near a busy national border raises serious questions about governance and security in the region.
The incident occurred shortly after Chauhan landed at Kolkata airport and hired an app-based cab to Basirhat. As the vehicle passed through Sandaliya under the jurisdiction of Shasan police station, Chauhan briefly stepped out, only to be swiftly kidnapped by a group in an SUV.
He was taken toward Charghat, near the Ghojadanga border with Bangladesh—a known high-risk area for smuggling and illegal cross-border activity.
In a rare instance of civic bravery, cab driver Mohammed Miraz immediately alerted local authorities, triggering a police operation that ultimately led to Chauhan’s rescue during a late-night raid. Without his intervention, the outcome could have been far more tragic.
The police arrested three men in connection with the crime: Samad Mondal, president of the Charghat panchayat and a known TMC block leader; Sajjan Alam; and Jamal Uddin, a TMC supporter. Sources confirmed that Sajjan’s wife also holds a local panchayat post, further intensifying concerns over the nexus between crime and political patronage in the area.
Investigations revealed that Chauhan had arrived in Kolkata to settle a business dispute with Raju alias Jasimuddin Mandal, a former associate in his fish hatchery enterprise based in Basirhat.
Raju had received Chauhan at the airport, but en route, both men were ambushed and forced into another vehicle. Subsequently, Chauhan’s family received a ransom demand of ₹1 crore.
The ease with which the kidnappers executed the abduction—allegedly with help from individuals occupying positions of local power—underscores a disturbing erosion of the rule of law in the district.
With police action seemingly reactive rather than preventive, this incident raises fears that North 24 Parganas is slipping into a state of political lawlessness, where criminals operate with impunity under the shield of local influence.
The incident has not only shaken public confidence but also reignited debates over administrative accountability and political-criminal collusion in Bengal’s hinterland.
