Russian circus promoter dies mysteriously

[Guest guest]

Russian circus promoter dies mysteriously

PRABIN KALITA

 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2005 05:06:40 AM ]

 

GUWAHATI: In a Hitchcockian twist to the Russian Circus tragedy, in

which helpless performing animals were burnt to death during a recent

show in Mumbai, one of the directors of Guwahati-based event

management company Choice Events, which was handling the show, has

died in a Dimapur hospital due to " spear-inflicted wounds. "

 

 

It has been two weeks since owners of the circus have gone missing,

giving the Mumbai police the slip, after the bizarre turn of events

at the Andheri (West) show. The Oshiwara police recorded the offence

under Section 336 of the IPC against the company after 18 animals -

four sea lions, seven snow dogs and seven cats - were charred to

death, triggering agonised protests from wildlife activists across

the country.

 

Amid conflicting reports and a string of conspiracy theories, the

Dimapur (Nagaland) police on Thursday said one of the accused, Atif

Mustafiz Ali - who was also a director with Choice Events and Trade

Pvt Limited, a firm that owns the circus - has died of " severe

wounds " in a local hospital.

 

Ali, along with Devanga Kumar Deka and Newa Prasad Yadav, was wanted

in the negligence case. Both Deka and Prasad are absconding. Police

maintained that Ali in his dying declaration said he was committing

suicide because his company was in " great debt. " He belongs to

Machkohwa village in Guwahati. Officer in-charge of Dimapur (West),

Akum, told TOI that Ali was brought to the hospital in a seriously

wounded condition on Wednesday afternoon. " The doctors declared him

dead today at 4.30 am, " the police officer said.

 

Officers handling the case were initially reluctant to buy the

suicide theory and had even taken in Ali's companion Bani Prakash Das

for questioning. Amazingly, Das told the police that he was with Ali

" until a few moments before the drastic step was taken. "

 

Dimapur superintendent of police Janardan Singh, however, confirmed

it was suicide. " We have so far not received any communication from

the Mumbai police regarding these persons, " he said. This comes even

as the Mumbai police intimated officers in Guwahati about the

incident, seeking leads in the probe.

 

Police said that Ali was staying with a local villager near

Padumpukhuri as a " guest " after he, along with Das, arrived in

Dimapur on April 12. The trio, according to investigators, had fled

Guwahati and were shifting bases in Dimapur, Nagaland's commercial

hub.

 

Though the circus has its registered office at Rajgarh Road in

Guwahati, in the name of Choice Events and Trade Pvt Limited, there

is no trace of any such office in the area. Local residents are not

aware of its existence.

 

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