Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly and wife receive death threats, police launch probe
Threats prompt police investigation
Sourav Ganguly, former captain of the Indian cricket team and current president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), along with his wife, Dona Ganguly, have reportedly received multiple death threats. These threats have led to a police investigation in Kolkata to identify the sender and their motives. The Kolkata Police STF and the directorate of security have initiated a probe into the matter.
According to reports, the threats have been arriving over several months. Initially, these communications were not taken seriously by the family. However, the nature of the recent letters, which explicitly threatened the lives of Sourav Ganguly and his wife, prompted the lodging of a formal police complaint.
The latest incident involved two letters received at Ganguly’s office on Monday. These letters contained explicit threats to eliminate him and his wife, and also to harm individuals close to him. This escalation in the severity of the threats led to the decision to involve law enforcement.
Details of the complaint and ongoing probe
A written complaint was lodged by Sourav Ganguly at the Thakurpukur Police Station in south Kolkata. The complaint was filed following the receipt of the most recent threatening letters. The police have since begun examining the contents of these letters as part of their investigation.
The letters have allegedly been sent to the former BCCI president for approximately six months. While earlier communications were reportedly dismissed as notes from overzealous fans, the repeated nature and aggressive language of the recent letters caused significant concern within the family, leading them to seek police intervention.
The FIR, filed by Sourav Ganguly’s personal secretary, Taniya Bhattacharya, at Thakurpukur PS, indicates that regular letters containing serious threats to Sourav Ganguly, his family, and staff have been received over the past four months. The last two letters specifically stated the sender’s intention to “eliminate” Ganguly and asserted that nothing could stop them.
Investigators are currently working to establish the identity of the sender and understand their motivations behind these threats. The STF has reportedly identified a location approximately 32km from the Gangulys’ Behala house, believed to be the origin of some of the threat letters. Police were conducting raids at this site when the last reports were made.
The state government’s security department has been alerted to the situation and has been asked to take immediate steps to address the concerns. Given Ganguly’s public profile, a security review is underway to assess the threat level and determine if additional security measures are required for him and his family.
Preliminary investigations suggest that some letters were sent via courier to the Ganguly residence. The sender’s name on one packet was listed as Arun Kumar, identified as a resident of Belgharia. Investigators have also traced a phone number mentioned in one of the letters, which a ‘Truecaller’ search revealed to be associated with the same name. Police are investigating whether the real Arun Kumar is indeed the sender, or if someone is using his identity to target the former India skipper.
Police officials have assured Ganguly’s personal assistant that an investigation has commenced and all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of Mr. Ganguly and his family.
The complaint statement highlighted the escalation of communications from derogatory remarks to explicit threats against the life and personal safety of Mr. Ganguly, Mrs. Dona Ganguly, and their staff. This shift necessitated immediate police intervention and investigation to identify the responsible party and ensure the family’s security.
The security department is reviewing the threat to determine if additional cover is needed for the high-profile family in Kolkata following these repeated threats.
Source: m.rediff.com
