KOLKATA: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Corporal was run over and killed allegedly by a 26-year-old son of a former MLA in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud (21) was the drill instructor of the IAF contingent that will participate in the Republic Day parade in Kolkata this year.

He was participating in a rehearsal around 6.30 am on Wednesday morning when a white Audi Q7 SUV tore through the security cordon laid around Red Road by Kolkata Police and knocked him down. The Corporal was rushed to the Eastern Command Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The nearly Rs 76 lakh SUV was purchased recently in the name of Mussadi Business Pvt Ltd of 16, Burman Street in north Kolkata. It is suspected that the vehicle was being driven by Ambia Sohrab, son of Md Sohrab who happens to be the president of the Fruit Merchants' Association in Kolkata. Md Sohrab was also an Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA till 2011. The incident has sent shock waves to security agencies who consider it was a major security breach.

"The Audi came at a high speed, knocked down the Corporal and then sped away. It then swerved and smashed into a barricade. The driver got off and escaped before security personnel could reach the spot where the SUV collided with the barricade. The vehicle managed to breach three rings of security around Red Road. It could have been an explosive-laden vehicle. We have taken up the matter with the police who are in charge of security during the parade rehearsal," a senior defence ministry official said.

Kolkata Police commissioner Surojit Kar Purakayastha reached the spot to inspect the damage. "It seems that there was only one occupant in the vehicle. He managed to escape but we are going though CCTV footage to identify him. We are also inquiring how the vehicle managed to breach the security cordon around Red Road," Purakayastha said from the spot.

Corporal Gaud was from Surat in Gujarat. A bachelor, he was posted at Air Force Station Kalaikunda in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal.



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