Latest news with #Patna-based
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Police verification of staff, reporting out-of-station guests: Hotel security enhanced after arrest of Patna hospital murder accused from Kolkata
In a move to tighten security and enhance vigilance across Kolkata's burgeoning accommodation sector, the Bidhannagar police, under the leadership of DCP Airport, held a crucial meeting on Friday with representatives from hotels, guesthouses, and lodges operating under the Baguiati and airport police stations. The meeting, also attended by ACP Airport and Additional IC Airport police stations, comes in the wake of recent incidents highlighting loopholes in guest verification and security protocols, following the arrest of shooters implicated in the murder of Patna-based gangster Chandan Mishra. To ensure ongoing coordination and prompt communication, a dedicated WhatsApp group is being established, facilitating direct interaction between the police and accommodation providers, revealed officials. The Indian Express had reported how the Patna hospital murder case drew renewed attention to the Shukhobrishti housing complex in New Town, where the vehicle carrying the accused was parked for 40-45 minutes. Sukhobrishti, a massive residential project, has previously been linked to criminal activities, including a police shootout with wanted gangsters in 2021. The Patna shooters had contacted a common contact in Sukhobrishti, and their vehicle was traced, which was parked there for 40-45 minutes, the police had revealed. Authorities had also acknowledged the challenges posed by the sheer size of such complexes, a high proportion of tenants from outside the state, and the common practice of subletting, which complicates thorough background checks. Apart from this, five people were apprehended from the guest house in Madurdaha, Anandapur, which exposed lapses in document verification. A case has since been filed against the guest house under Section 223(B) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for disobeying government directives, despite the owner's claims of adhering to ID verification procedures. Addressing these concerns, the meeting focused on a comprehensive set of directives aimed at bolstering security measures. Key discussions revolved around: Mandatory SARAI licensing and guest verification: Emphasising strict adherence to SARAI licensing requirements and robust guest verification procedures, including mandatory ID checks, completion of detailed guest forms, and photographic records of all visitors. Maintenance of comprehensive registers: Hotels and accommodations were instructed to meticulously maintain visitor logs and staff registers, with a strong emphasis on police verification of all personnel. Reporting out-of-state guests and suspicious activities: A critical point of discussion was the immediate reporting of out-of-state guests and any suspicious activities to local police stations to pre-empt potential criminal hideouts and illegal operations. Awareness and prevention of criminal activities: Operators were urged to maintain heightened awareness regarding potential criminal hideouts, cyber frauds, and any channelisation of illegal activities. Strict restrictions on minors without guardians were also reiterated. Enhanced security infrastructure and safety measures: The meeting stressed the mandatory installation and 24/7 operation of CCTV cameras with a minimum 60-day footage retention period. Furthermore, robust fire safety measures, including regular drills and clear evacuation plans, along with the installation of panic buttons and adherence to first aid protocols, were made compulsory. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Guest houses to complexes: Kolkata's accommodation under scrutiny after arrest of Chandan Mishra's accused killers
The recent arrest of five individuals — including a woman — in connection with the murder of Patna-based gangster Chandan Mishra has cast a spotlight on the security protocol and verification processes of rental accommodations in and around Kolkata. The incident has not only led to a case being filed against a guest house in Anandapur but has also brought renewed attention to the Shukhobrishti housing complex in New Town, which previously faced a case in 2021. On Saturday night, a large police team raided a guest house in Madurdaha, Anandapur, which is a short distance from the Anandapur police station, and arrested the accused in the case. 'There was definitely a violation regarding document verification on the part of the guest house. The documents of three of them were not verified,' said a senior STF official. A case has been filed against the guest house under Section 223(B) of the BNS for disobeying government directives. This contradicts what the guest house owner told mediapersons: that all guests had shown valid identity documents before being allotted rooms. Beyond the guest house, the arrests have once again drawn attention to Shukhobrishti, a massive 150-acre housing project in New Town with more than 20,000 apartments and nearly 350 towers, often referred to as a township in itself. Police had questioned five residents from two separate flats in Shukhobrishti on July 19 in connection with the July 17 Patna murder. This is the second time the complex has come under the scanner. On June 9, 2021, two wanted Punjab gangsters — Jaipal Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi Kharar — were gunned down in a police shootout inside Flat 201 of Block 153 during a raid. Despite assurances from Bidhannagar Police and the introduction of a police clearance certificate system for tenants, enforcement remains inconsistent. Local police sources say criminals continue to 'exploit loopholes' in the rental system, particularly subletting. 'It's a huge complex with so many people staying inside. The real problem is that most of the occupants aren't owners — they are tenants, often from Bihar and UP,' said a senior officer from the West Bengal Special Task Force. 'You can check the background of the tenant who signs the lease, but not necessarily of the friends and acquaintances who come and stay. For instance, Ehsan, who was staying in Shukhobrishti, had no criminal background. But he was contacted by Sahil from Patna to receive Tausheef (the main accused in the murder of Chandan Misra) and others.' The size of the complex, along with absent landlords and weak surveillance, further complicates monitoring. While a 'massive drive' was conducted four years ago to verify tenants, authorities admit that '100 percent verification is not possible' and say that residents and landlords must also take more responsibility. Recently, the Bidhannagar Police had issued show-cause notices to 94 landlords for renting properties without conducting required background checks on tenants. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
IRCTC case: Delhi court adjourns order on framing of charges against Lalu Prasad, relatives till August 5
A Delhi court on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) deferred till August 5 its order on framing of charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav and others in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the IRCTC. On May 29, the court reserved its order after the arguments were concluded on the aspect of charge. Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav have refuted corruption and other charges levelled against them by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case. The charges also include criminal conspiracy and cheating, and carry a maximum jail term of seven years. Also Read | Lalu Prasad family and CBI searches: all you need to know The three claimed before the court through their lawyer that the CBI lacked evidence to prosecute them. Prasad, who was the Railway Minister during the UPA-I government, earlier questioned the validity of sanctions obtained by the CBI to prosecute him. The agency told the court on February 28 that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the accused persons. The case is linked to alleged irregularities in the grant of operational contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm. IRCTC case: Delhi court grants bail to Lalu, wife Rabri and son Tejashwi According to the CBI charge sheet, a conspiracy was hatched between 2004 and 2014 in pursuance of which BNR hotels of the Indian Railways located in Puri and Ranchi were first transferred to the IRCTC. They were later leased to the Patna-based Sujata Hotels Private Limited for operations and maintenance. The tender process, the CBI alleged, was rigged and manipulated and the conditions were tweaked to help the private party — Sujata Hotels. The charge sheet also names former group general managers of IRCTC V.K. Asthana and R.K. Goyal and Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels have also been named as accused in the charge sheet.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
IRCTC case: Court defers order on charges against Lalu Prasad till Aug 5
A Delhi court on Wednesday deferred till August 5 its order on framing of charges against RJD president Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav and others in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the IRCTC. On May 29, the court reserved its order after the arguments were concluded on the aspect of charge. Prasad, Devi and Yadav have refuted corruption and other charges levelled against them by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case. The charges also include criminal conspiracy and cheating, and carry a maximum jail term of seven years. The three claimed before the court through their lawyer that the CBI lacked evidence to prosecute them. Prasad, who was the railway minister during the UPA-I government, earlier questioned the validity of sanctions obtained by the CBI to prosecute him. The agency told the court on February 28 that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the accused persons. The case is linked to alleged irregularities in the grant of operational contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm. According to the CBI charge sheet, a conspiracy was hatched between 2004 and 2014 in pursuance of which BNR hotels of the Indian Railways located in Puri and Ranchi were first transferred to the IRCTC. They were later leased to the Patna-based Sujata Hotels Private Limited for operations and maintenance. The tender process, the CBI alleged, was rigged and manipulated and the conditions were tweaked to help the private party -- Sujata Hotels. The charge sheet also names former group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal, and Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels have also been named as accused in the charge sheet.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- The Hindu
Prisoner admitted in private hospital shot dead in Patna
A prisoner out on parole was shot dead inside a private hospital in Patna on Thursday (July 17, 2025), located at the busy Raja Bazar locality early morning, when four unidentified person opened indiscriminate firing. According to the police, the deceased was identified as Chandan Mishra, a resident of Buxar district and he was a dreaded criminal and imprisoned in Beur Jail in connection with a murder case. The incident took place under the Shastri Nagar police station when Mishra was undergoing treatment at Paras Hospital. The assailants entered the building where he was hospitalised in room number 209 and opened fire. As per the police, there were a total five men out of which four entered the hospital and the fifth one was waiting outside in a car. The incident has created panic among the visitors, hospital staff, nurses and doctors. Soon after the firing, police reached the spot including Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya K Sharma. Asked about how many rounds of bullet fired on the deceased, Mr. Sharma said, 'We will only come to know after the postmortem report but several rounds of firing were carried out. Chandan Mishra is a dreaded criminal and more than one dozen cases are registered against him. Initial investigation indicates that he has been murdered in gang war from the opposite gang. He died during treatment after being hit by bullets.' Also Read | Bihar government set up cell to maintain data bank of Supari killers He further said, 'We have the faces of the shooter captured in the CCTV footage and we have already shared it with Buxar Police to identify them. Investigation is on and soon police will arrest the culprits.' The daylight murder at around 7:30 a.m. in the State capital is another shocking criminal incident after the murder of Patna-based industrialist Gopal Khemka on July 4, 2025. Earlier this week, a local businessman in Sitamarhi, a farmer and an advocate was shot dead by the criminal in Patna raising serious questions on the law and order situation in Bihar. Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress have been continuously attacking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over terming Bihar as India's 'crime capital'. On July 16, when a question was asked from Additional Director General (ADG) (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan regarding increase in the murder, he had claimed that that the statistics does not suggest that the average crime graph has witnessed an increase. Mr. Krishnan had asserted that being an election year and a narrative is being built through misinformation and disinformation. Attacking the government, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav posted a message on social media 'X' saying, 'Government criminals stormed into the ICU and shot a patient admitted to the hospital. Is anyone anywhere safe in Bihar? Did it happen before 2005?'.
