Gold merchant in Krishnagar found dead under mysterious circumstances in his locker room

Police detained an astrologer, looking for a gemstone trader 

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News  

KRISHNAGAR, 6 SEP: A gold merchant cum jewellery shop owner was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his house located near Judge Court Para in Krishnagar this morning.

Police official said Govinda Gorai, a prominent gold merchant in Krishnagar was found dead in his locker room at around 9 am.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that he was strangled to death. We have sent the body to the Saktinagar district hospital for autopsy and the exact cause of death can be ascertained only after receiving the detailed post mortem report,” said Zafar Ajmal Kidwai, SP, Krishnagar police district.

Mr Kidwai also said the investigating police officials have already seized evidences and documents from the site. “Our police officials are also trying to collect close circuit camera footages. They have already detained a person named as Durga Tiwari, an astrologer, for interrogation,” said Mr Kidwai.

According to police officials, the deceased had a plan to give his jewellery shop on lease to a person. Accordingly, he continued talks with the party for the last seven days and agreed to give his shop on lease for an amount of Rs 35 lakhs and a monthly rent amount. Tiwari had a role to mediate the party with Gorai. Today, the party was to make a deal by handing over Rs 5 lakh as an initial payment to him at around 12 noon. But, two persons reached his house at around 8.30 am when he was busy in daily pujas. As they reached beforehand, he came down from the first floor and he was later found dead in the locker room situated behind his jewellery shop in the ground floor.

The family members of the deceased claimed that the 60-year-old Gorai was murdered. “When we did not get any response even after repeated calls, we entered into the locker room where he was seen lying face down. Some bloods were seen on his mouth and nose and a cut mark was seen near eyebrow. We immediately call our relatives and we arranged to admit him to the Saktinagar district hospital. As the hospital authority pronounced him brought dead and suggested us to bring the body back to house unless they will conduct a Covid-19 test”, said one of the relatives.

Local residents, however, said family feuds may lead to the death of gold merchant. A few days ago, there was a scuffle among the family members on the rights of the deceased’s property. Gorai has two sons and he allegedly used to keep mental distance with his two daughter-in-laws.

It is also alleged that his two daughter-in-laws had stolen ornaments from his shop when he had undergone a cardiac operation for setting up a stain. For this reason, he was unhappy with his own family members and he recently planned to sell his shop on lease.

A senior police officer said, “We are not ruling out the family-dispute reason behind his death and we will not leave anything while conducting probe into this matter.”

According to the preliminary investigation of the police, Kajal Biswas, an astrological stone trader and one Munna were involved in buying the jewellery shop on lease. Tiwari has relation with Munna and Munna had introduced Kajal with Tiwari a few days ago.

Today, Kajal and another one reached the house of Gorai at around 9.00 am for finalizing the deal with Gorai and Tiwari was asked to reach the spot. Accordingly, Tiwari reached his house, but Kajal and his associate left the house which was seen by one of the daughter-in-laws of Gorai.

Meanwhile, local residents said Gorai was involved in a firing case in 2006 where he had opened a fire at a person who used to visit a beauty parlor situated at Bejikhali in Krishnagar. Gorai, who also used to visit the beauty parlor and had allegedly relation with a woman, owner of the parlor. Gorai was on bail from the High Court for this case.