According to eyewitnesses, Tushar Biswas, president of the market committee, was in his Panchpota market shop when five unknown persons opened fire at him around 8.15 pm on Sunday. The assailants came in a car.
As bullets hit Biswas, he slumped onto the floor, but the assailants hacked at him with a chopper before fleeing from the spot.
Eyewitnesses, however, noted down the number of the vehicle and informed the police.
The gang was intercepted at the Thakurnagar rail gate where after a brief exchange of fire two assailants were arrested, while the other two managed to escape.
Biswas was rushed to Bongaon Hospital, but later succumbed to his injuries while he was being taken to Kolkata.
The police believe that the murder was a revenge killing.
In 2002, Biswas had spearheaded the lynching of a notorious criminal, Dilip Biswas, his wife and two sons.
According to the police, the other six sons of Dilip had hired goons to kill the trader to avenge their father’s death.
A bandh was called in the market today and tension continued to prevail all through the day.