Atanu Dutta, who was wanted by police in connection with an attempt-to-murder case, had evaded law for months. But as fate would have it, he was killed when the Coromandel Express derailed in Jajpur in Orissa on Friday.

Nine persons were killed and many were injured in the accident which occurred hours after Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav presented his budget.

Dutta, a resident of Mullickpara at Serampore in Hooghly district, had allegedly been involved in a clash that took place during the immersion of Durga idols in October last year.

According to police, he allegedly shot a man during the clash. Later, he fled. Since then the police were trying to nab him and had also conducted a few raids but to no avail.

“Atanu has been absconding since October and we want him in an attempt-to-murder case. We have received information that he has been killed in Friday’s train accident at Jajpur,” Officer-in-Charge of Serampore police station, Rabindranath Chakraborty, said.

According to the family, Atanu was in S-3 coach and was going to visit his elder sister Moyna Khan, who resides in Chennai. His brother has gone to Cuttack and identified the body, a source added. Chakraborty said, “We are keeping in touch with the family and once the relatives come, we will speak to them. We have told them to keep us informed.”

Train mishap averted in Hooghly