More than a month after an “unprovoked” attack by a policeman, a young man is still in trauma even as he is recuperating in a city hospital.
Bapi Rajbanshi (28), a casual worker in a flower shop, says he was kicked repeatedly by a police officer in his genitals and rectum leading to profuse bleeding. Bapi, who lives in a South Kolkata slum, is recuperating in a city hospital.
On Sunday, Bapi, told The Hindu that he was tortured by a police officer of Gariahat police station in South Kolkata “without any provocation.” The incident took place in the last week of November.
“Pritam Sekhar, an officer of Gariahat police station in South Kolkata, caught hold of me and asked if I am an extortionist. On denying the claim, he started to beat me recklessly and took me inside the (Gariahat) police station,” alleged Bapi, lying on a hospital bed. However, the assault did not stop here. He was taken inside the station and beaten.
In her complaint to officer in charge of the police station Ujjal Ray, the victim’s mother Bani Rajbanshi wrote, “…in presence of other police officers (my son) was brutally and inhumanly assaulted by fist blows and kicks” thus causing “severe pain (from) injuries (in the) abdomen and private parts” and he started urinating “black blood.”
In the same complaint, a copy of which is with The Hindu , Ms Rajbanshi said that her “son’s condition deteriorated” as blood kept flowing with urine and he had to go through prolonged treatment in various hospitals.
Eventually, on December 5, Rajbanshi was admitted to SSKM Hospital. While Bapi is clueless as to why he was assaulted, his lawyer Bimalkanti Danda claims that instead of taking any legal action against the accused officer, the police “locked my client after beating him severely”.
Police reaction Mr. Ujjal Ray, however, questioned the authenticity of the allegation against Mr. Sekhar. “As per the complaint, the assault took place on November 30, 2014. Then why was the complaint letter submitted almost a month later on December 29?” When asked whether any action had been taken against Mr. Sekhar, he said “inquiry is going on”.
Explaining the reasons for the delay, Mr Danda said, “Within a few days of the assault, Ms Rajbanshi went to the police station several times, but her complaint was not registered. She was made to sit in the police station for hours every time she went there. Only after she sought legal help, did the police receive the written complaint.” He also claimed that the police asked Bapi “to keep shut if he wants to survive”.
The officials however, refused to deny or confirm if the police station has an officer named Pritam Sekhar. “There is confusion about the name,” said an officer.
