Barrackpore flood claims a life

A 53-year-old man drowned on Monday afternoon in flood waters which are still wreaking havoc for many residents of Penal and Barrackpore.

Dead is Kashib Ali of Barrackpore.

A police report said Ali was last seen alive on Monday at about 2.30 pm walking near the river at Cunjal Road which leads to Barrackpore from Princes Town.

Ali was not married and had no children.

His brother Ackbar told Newsday, Ali was walking to Ackbar’s home a short distance from the bridge.

“He was coming by me for his medication.

He suffers from a bit of mental illness.” It was customary, Ackbar said, for Ali to walk to his home almost daily on afternoons to get his medication — he had been doing so for the past three years.

Ackbar said on Monday shortly after 3 pm, when Ali did not show up at his house, he became worried.

“I went by the bridge and look and the water was really pushing.

I realise then that he couldn’t make it over the bridge and I wonder if he hadn’t slipped into the river.”

Ackbar summoned other relatives and up until late evening, neighbours searched for Ali. The search continued yesterday and, at about mid-morning, Ali’s body was spotted on the riverbank near the bridge.

The district medical officer arrived on the scene and ordered Ali’s body be removed to the Forensic Sciences Centre for an autopsy.