Kali Puja night: Cooch Behar SP accused of assaulting neighbours
Cooch Behar: Cooch Behar District Superintendent of Police (SP) Dyutiman Bhattacharjee has been accused of assaulting his neighbours on the night of Kali Puja, triggering widespread outrage in the Rail Ghumti area under Ward 9 of Cooch Behar town.
According to local residents, a group of children were bursting firecrackers in front of their houses near the SP’s bungalow when the officer allegedly arrived with a few policemen and began assaulting them. Several people, including minors and women, were reportedly injured in the incident.
Residents claimed that five minors sustained injuries, while two others were seriously hurt, including advocate Mallika Karji, whose house is located near the SP’s residence. Witnesses further alleged that none of the policemen were in uniform and that the SP himself, dressed in half-pants and a vest, actively participated in the assault. No female police personnel were present at the scene, locals added.
Following the incident, angry residents staged a protest in the area on Tuesday morning. Advocate Mallika Karji has also lodged a complaint and informed the Bar Council of India about the matter. Addressing a Press conference, she said: “Besides informing the Chief Minister, I will file a case in the High Court.” She further alleged that police vehicles returned to the spot shortly after the incident and vandalised a local shop.
Meanwhile, CCTV footage purportedly showing the SP beating people with a stick has gone viral on social media. However, Millennium Post has not independently verified the footage.
Denying the allegations, SP Dyutiman Bhattacharjee said: “No such incident took place. The residents had been bursting firecrackers since evening despite repeated warnings from the security guard. They continued till 1 am and some firecrackers even landed inside the bungalow, causing distress to the animals there.”
The incident has sparked outrage in the locality, with residents demanding a high-level inquiry into the allegations.
