Kolkata: An assistant director of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) was assaulted by a hawker union leader in the Parnasree area of Behala on Tuesday evening. According to a KMC source, the civic official was leading a team to conduct a hawker survey of the area when a group of hawkers, led by their union leader, started misbehaving with the team.After a verbal exchange, the hawkers’ union leader suddenly turned violent and began assaulting the civic official.
The Behala police said they acted immediately after receiving the complaint of assault. However, on Wednesday, the accused was granted bail.
According to a source, the case was recorded on the basis of a letter of complaint from Birendra Krishna Bhakta (50), a resident of Purbapara Road in Behala, against Avijit Moitra alias Piklu, a leader of the hawkers’ union. The complaint stated that around 6.10 pm on July 30, the FIR named accused person wrongfully restrained the complainant who is working as an assistant director at borough XIV in Behala.
The Parnasree police came under severe criticism after the accused, Piku, received bail on Wednesday when cops failed to produce the ID card of the victim that could have proven that he was a govt employee. “A few days ago, when a cop was assaulted near Vidyasagar Hospital, the police ensured that his bail was denied. Is this partisan attitude because of the fact that the accused is an important local influencer?” asked Amit Bhaduri, a witness to the incident.
“Assistant Director of SWM-I, borough XIV, KMC, was physically assaulted while he was discharging his duty as assigned by the civic authorities at 42, Kazi Para under Parnasree police station. The accused damaged the glasses of the complainant and abused him. As a result, the complainant was injured. He received medical care and was discharged from Vidyasagar SG Hospital. Further investigation of the case is in progress,” said DC (Behala) Rahul De.
Reacting to the attack on the civic official, mayor Firhad Hakim said it was a serious offence to target a govt official on duty. “I consider it an attack on myself since the official was representing the KMC. Cops have played their role well in arresting the attacker,” said Hakim.