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 prompted the Kolkata Police STF and the directorate of security to launch an investigation into the matter.
According to police, the latest threatening letters were received at Ganguly’s office on Monday. A senior officer confirmed that a written complaint has been lodged by Ganguly at the Thakurpukur Police Station in south Kolkata.
The letters have allegedly been arriving for approximately six months, initially not being taken seriously by the family. However, the nature of the recent communications, which explicitly threatened to harm Ganguly, his wife, and individuals close to him, led to the formal complaint.
Details of the threats and ongoing probe
The Kolkata Police STF has reportedly identified a location situated 32 kilometres from the Gangulys’ Behala residence, believed to be the origin point of some of these threat letters. Raids were reportedly underway at this site as of the latest reports.
The First Information Report (FIR) was filed by Sourav Ganguly’s personal secretary, Taniya Bhattacharya, at the Thakurpukur Police Station. This report indicates that regular letters containing serious threats to Sourav Ganguly, his family, and staff have been received over the past four months. While previous letters were initially disregarded, the most recent two explicitly stated the sender’s intent to “eliminate” Ganguly and asserted that nothing could prevent this action.
Family sources have indicated that such letters have been a recurring issue for about six months. Initially, these communications were dismissed as the actions of overzealous fans. However, the persistent nature of the threats and the increasingly aggressive language used in the latest letters prompted the family to seek police intervention.
The state government’s security department has been notified and requested to take immediate action. The police officer involved in the investigation stated that authorities are scrutinising the content of the letters and actively working to ascertain the identity and motivations of the sender.
Security review initiated
The police complaint, filed by the Ganguly family and the personal assistant of the former Indian skipper, highlighted that the most recent letter, written entirely in English, contained explicit threats to “eliminate” or “finish” the cricketer and his family. This incident has raised concerns regarding the security of the high-profile family in Kolkata.
The complaint detailed the escalation of the threats, moving from objectionable remarks to explicit threats against the lives and personal safety of Mr. Ganguly, Mrs. Dona Ganguly, and their staff. This serious escalation necessitated immediate police intervention and investigation.
Preliminary investigations suggest that some of the letters were sent via courier to the Ganguly residence. The sender’s name on one of the packages 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, upon a ‘Truecaller’ search, also showed the same name. Police are currently investigating whether the actual Arun Kumar is the individual responsible for sending these letters or if his identity is being used by someone else to target the former India skipper.
Given Ganguly’s public stature, the security department is conducting a thorough review of the threat to determine if additional security measures are necessary for his family.
Source: m.rediff.com
