Kolkata, Oct 26 (IANS) A love affair in Kolkata’s southern outskirts allegedly took a brutal turn when a young man and his father were forced to walk naked on the street by the woman’s family after they objected to the couple’s relationship.
The incident took place in the Bashundhara Park area under Sarsuna police station limits, triggering widespread tension and public outrage.
Three persons, including the woman’s father and uncle, have been arrested in connection with the incident, the Kolkata Police said on Monday.
According to information available, the young woman was in a relationship with a man from Sarsuna in the Behala area. Her family members had reportedly opposed the relationship from the beginning. The disagreement escalated into violence after the couple was caught in an intimate situation by the woman’s relatives on Sunday.
The young man was allegedly confined inside the house and severely assaulted by the woman’s father and uncle. His father was subsequently called to the spot. In a disturbing turn of events, the woman’s family allegedly handed the young man’s father a gun in front of his son and asked him to shoot him.
According to the police, the family allegedly offered the young man two options: face death or walk naked on the street. The young man and his father were subsequently allegedly forced to walk naked in public. A friend of the young man was also reportedly assaulted and subjected to similar humiliation.
A senior Kolkata Police officer said, “Based on the complaint lodged by the young man’s family, three persons have been arrested. A case has been registered against them under relevant sections. They would be produced in court today. The police will seek their custody for further interrogation.”
The incident left local residents shocked and angry. As news of the alleged assault and public humiliation spread, a crowd gathered and vandalised the woman’s house.
The Sarsuna police reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. The woman’s father and other family members reportedly fled as tensions mounted. However, the crowd caught her uncle, assaulted him, and handed him over to the police.
The incident triggered tension across the locality, with police stepping up efforts to bring the situation under control. The woman’s father and another person were arrested late on Sunday night, police sources said.
Some local residents alleged that the woman’s family had earlier been close to local Trinamool Congress leaders and claimed that this had contributed to their alleged arrogance. They demanded exemplary punishment for those accused in the case.
Reacting to the incident, social activist Shaswati Ghosh questioned the conduct of both the alleged perpetrators and those who witnessed the incident.
“Those who committed this incident are mentally unbalanced. And those who were eyewitnesses, did they enjoy it? Or did they protest against it? That too needs to be investigated,” Ghosh said.
–IANS
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