By IANS
Jamshedpur/Kolkata : Ashish Dey, co-owner of footwear and accessories major Sreeleathers, was shot dead by motorcyclists near his home here Friday morning.
Police said Dey, 50, was travelling in his car around 9 a.m. when two men on a motorcycle sprayed bullets at him from point-blank range near his residence in Saket Bazaar.
Dey, who lived in this Jharkhand town but whose family and company are based in Kolkata, was rushed to Tata Main hospital but died on the way, said Jamshedpur Superintendent of Police Naveen Kumar Singh.
Family sources in Kolkata said Dey, who also runs a hotel in Jharkhand, had been receiving ransom calls from some mafia syndicates for some time. They alleged that Dey had even informed Jharkhand Police about a ransom call of Rs.30 million he had received recently, but was denied police protection.
However, Singh said Dey had been offered security four months ago but he rejected it. He added that the police had already got some clues and was working on it.
The killing created panic in the area with terrified shop owners and traders closing their shops in protest.
Dey had also been receiving extortion notices from militant organisations based in the northeast, the victim’s elder brother Satyabrata Dey said.
Sreeleathers has a nationwide presence. It also has also interest in hotels and the beauty products business.