12 Kolkata: A 76-year-old former school teacher was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly slashing a lawyer with a sharp weapon following a dispute over car parking at a high-rise complex off Dum Dum Road.
The accused, Tapan Sarkar, a retired headmaster of a Dum Dum high school, slashed his neighbour Debsundar Daripa, a lawyer at the Barrackpore court, during a heated altercation that escalated into a physical scuffle. The dispute arose over the parking of Sarkar's car in the Ambalika Apartment complex near the Dum Dum Hanuman Temple on Monday afternoon.
"A CCTV footage revealed both attacked each other during the altercation. Sarkar slashed Daripa on the jaw with a sharp object. An investigation is underway," an investigating officer said.
Daripa, who suffered a deep wound and required at least 25 stitches, lodged an FIR against Sarkar at Nagerbazar police station, leading to Sarkar's arrest. "Sarkar has been booked under Section 118 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with punishment for intentionally causing hurt or grievous hurt using dangerous weapons or harmful methods. He was produced before a Barrackpore court," a senior officer from the Barrackpore Commissionerate told TOI. Sarkar has been remanded in police custody for five days.
Locals reported that tensions escalated on Monday afternoon while the complex residents were celebrating Saraswati Puja. "Sarkar frequently parked his car in the common area. Despite repeated requests, he refused to park elsewhere," said Saibal Jana, a resident. The situation worsened when Daripa confronted Sarkar about his parked car. "When I asked him to remove his car, he verbally abused me. When I continued to protest, he suddenly slashed my jaw with a sharp," Daripa said.
Moumita Mallick, another resident, recounted: "After an argument broke out, a scuffle ensued between Sarkar and Daripa. As we rushed to intervene, Sarkar suddenly attacked Daripa's face with a sharp object."