Kolkata: An argument that broke out over parking a car in the ‘common space' of the flat's garage led to the alleged vandalism of three cars in the residential complex off Prince Anwar Shah Road in the early hours of Thursday.
Though there were allegations of vandalism of at least three cars, the cops claimed that major damages were restricted to just one car. A complaint and counter-complaint were filed at the Lake police station.
According to local sources, a young man — the son of an influential person who served the police earlier and is now active in politics — returned home around 2 am and found his parking space inside the apartment "occupied" by another car. When he protested, the second car's owner — also a resident of the same building — claimed he had bought that space. This led to an argument, with both men claiming the parking space was reserved for them, having paid the builder for the same. This was when things turned ugly.
Cops are investigating if others, especially outsiders, were involved in the fracas. The police have sought CCTV footage from the building. "We are going to issue notice and ask both men to join the investigations once our preliminary inquiries are over," said an officer from the Southeast division.
Local residents reported hearing loud arguments and the sound of glass breaking around 2:30 am. Security personnel attempted to intervene but were unsuccessful in defusing the situation. The building management is considering calling for an emergency meeting to address the parking dispute and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident has raised concerns about parking space allocation in residential complexes. Police have increased patrolling in the area to maintain peace and prevent any further escalation of the situation. Both the parties involved have been asked to produce documentation proving their claim to the disputed parking space. The police have assured residents that appropriate action will be taken based on their findings.