Woman 'threatened' with acid attack, police inert even after abuse: Complainant
Telegraph | 15 February 2025
A second-year college student was allegedly threatened with an acid attack and told she would be ripped apart after she slapped a man who is said to have teased her for feeding stray dogs.
The woman, who lives with her elderly father in a south suburban pocket, said she was teased on the night of February 10 when she was returning home after feeding strays in her neighbourhood.
“A man who lives in the locality teased me very badly. I slapped him in front of his friend. Even his friend told me that I did the right thing. The matter ended there. But on Wednesday, 60-70 men came to my house and started harassing my elderly father. I was not home. I learned about it and immediately contacted Garfa police station. Officers reached the spot a few minutes before me. But the men abused me even in front of the cops,” the woman said.
“I was threatened with an acid attack. They said I would be torn apart and beaten to death. All this happened in front of the police. No action was taken.”
The woman said she lodged a complaint against the man who allegedly teased her.
The man denied the charges. “You can ask anyone in the neighbourhood about my character. That day she (the complainant) slapped me for no reason. She hit me so hard that blood clotted in my eyes,” the man said.
He said he had lodged a complaint of assault against the woman.
The man’s mother said they had objected to the woman loitering around in the neighbourhood at night and throwing bottles on the road.
“She loiters around in the locality at night with her male friend. They are loud and often make a nuisance on the road. My grandson is appearing for Madhyamik. How will he study in such a situation?” the man’s mother said.
The complainant said even more than her feeding stray dogs, the neighbours had objections to her staying out at 11.30pm.
“The man’s father told me good girls do not step out at night,” the woman said.
It is not clear why the police did not act, as alleged by the woman, even after witnessing verbal abuse and threats.
An officer at Garfa police station said only a senior officer could comment on the matter.
Deputy commissioner (south suburban division), Kolkata Police, Bidisha Kalita, did not respond to a text message from Metro seeking her reaction to the allegations made by the woman.