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Secret tunnel linked to canal found at fake gold dealer’s house: Bengal police
While one end of the concrete-tunnel opens in an underground room of the house of the accused Saddam Sardar, the other end is linked to a canal, which is connected to River Matla in the Sunderbans
The West Bengal police probing a case related to purchase of fake gold idols have found a secret underground tunnel inside the house of the accused at Kultali in South 24 Parganas district on Monday, officials said.
While one end of the concrete-tunnel opens in an underground room of the house of the accused Saddam Sardar, the other end is linked to a canal, which flows behind the house, and is connected to River Matla in the Sunderbans beyond which lies the Indo-Bangla international border.
“Saddam and his brother Sairul are accused in multiple cases, and it is suspected that the tunnel was built in his house to serve as an escape route if police raid his house,” said an officer of Baruipur police district.
“He used to lure prospective buyers saying that he had gold bars and idols which he wants to sell off at cheaper rates. He would show them fake gold items. Once the buyers came, Saddam would take them to an isolated place and would assault the person and snatch all his belongings,” said the officer.
On Monday, police arrested Sardar in connection with a case in which he duped a man from Nadia district of ₹12 lakh with a fake gold idol. A mob, however, attacked the police team and snatched Sardar. Allegations also surfaced miscreants had fired a few rounds to scare off the police.
At least three police personnel sustained minor injuries when they were attacked by the mob. Sardar and his brother Sairul are now on the run. Police have arrested two women – Saddam’s wife Masuda and Sairul’s wife Rabia - in connection with the attack.
Later in the evening, a large police contingent reached the village to search Sardar’s house. It was then that they stumbled upon the tunnel.
“The exterior of the one-story house, painted in light green, blue and purple, looks very ordinary and like any other house in the area. But when police entered the house, they found an underground room. The room had a cot, below which there was a tunnel,” said Rabiul Laskar, a local.
Police said that the tunnel, made of bricks and concrete, was at least eight to ten feet deep. It was 20 – 30 feet long, at least five to six feet in height and four to five feet in width. It also had a small door made of iron grills. The tunnel has waist-deep water.
“Investigation is going on. Sardar is absconding. The tunnel appears to be a few years old,” said an officer.
The opening of the tunnel inside the room was hardly two to three feet in width. Once a man climbs down, there is a small iron gate. It opens into the main tunnel which is connected to the canal.
“Once a person manages to come out through the rear end of the house, using the canal, he could use a boat to reach the Matla River and escape anywhere using the innumerable creeks and rivers in the Sunderban delta,” said an officer.
