KENDRAPARA: Malik Suleiman, a member of the once dreaded Hyder-Suleman-Tito gang, was shot dead allegedly by his own men at Garapur village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town.
Unaware of the trap, Suleiman was travelling in a Bolero with his would- be killers when they pumped bullets into him at Luna bridge on the national highway, some 20 km from here.
Police arrested two accused Ganesh alias Sandha Sahoo and Sunil Singh, Suleiman’s driver. Two others Bijaya Nayak and Monoranjan Nayak fled the spot. Police recovered a revolver from the arrested persons. Tension ran high and security has been tightened in the town and nearby areas.
Suleiman, who had of late managed to get a B class contractor licence, was on way to Beradi breach site where he had taken up Rs 1. 58 cr repair work of the Irrigation Department. Many contractors had filed tenders for this. Police suspect some rival contractors could have engaged Suleiman’s henchmen to kill him.
Suleiman was reigning the crime networks in Kendrapara, Paradip, Bhubaneswar and other areas of the State for more than five years now and became a contractor last year thanks to his nexus with some ruling party leaders and officials. In 2002, he was arrested on the charge of killing Dr Abid Ali Khan in Nayagarh. He was acquitted by the court two years back for lack of evidence.
After his release from the jail, Suleiman managed to obtain the contractor licence to get construction works. `` Some corrupt officials granted him the licence to Suleiman though he was not entitled to as many criminal cases were pending against him,’’ said Umesh Chandra Singh, district secretary of CPM. Suleiman was also involved in many tender fixing cases.
Ruling party leaders and rival contractors used to engage the gangster to get contract works, he alleged.
From a petty trader of Garapur village, Suleiman had brush with crime and joined the Hyder gang in 1999. After he fell out, Suleiman formed his own group and even made a bid on Hyder. Malik Chuna, younger brother of Suleiman was killed by the gang members of Hyder in Bhubaneswar four years back as he used to tip off police about their activities.
