Youth beaten to death by friend, his father after night-long drinking
Times of India | 7 July 2025
Kolkata: A drunken brawl among friends, followed by the intervention of the father of one of them, led to the death of a 24-year-old youth by assault in Behala Sakherbazar on Sunday. Bapi Adhikari, a resident of Behala, was rescued in an unconscious and bloodied state by locals and customers at Sakherbazar Supermarket. His friend's father had allegedly thrashed him, repeatedly banging his head against the wall. Adhikari was taken to Vidyasagar State General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Police have arrested Adhikari's friend Krishna, and the latter's father, Dipu Jana.
According to cops, Adhikari was drinking with three friends, including Krishna, on Saturday night. The group reportedly consumed alcohol through the night. Around 7 am on Sunday, an argument broke out at a tea stall near the market, allegedly over sharing the cost of alcohol. "An altercation broke out between Krishna and Adhikari regarding payment and the division of expenses incurred during the night. The argument escalated into a physical scuffle," an officer said. "During the confrontation, Krishna reportedly called his father, Dipu, to the scene. Following his arrival, Adhikari was allegedly assaulted by both Krishna and Dipu, and sustained serious injuries," he said.
Witnesses said Krishna and Dipu dragged Adhikari into Sakherbazar Supermarket and beat him. It is alleged that Adhikari sustained injuries on his head and other parts of his body. "Some locals intervened and managed to save Adhikari for a while before the father-son duo dragged him inside the market, banged his head against the wall, and then pinned him to the ground before stomping on his face repeatedly. Adhikari started bleeding from his face and mouth before others could intervene again and separate them," said Suranjan Das, a local shopkeeper and witness to the crime.
By then, someone had dialled 100, and officers from Thakurpukur police station reached the area. They arrested the father-son duo and took the injured youth to the nearest hospital, where he later died. A senior officer of Kolkata Police said a murder case has been registered, and both accused have been arrested. "CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed. The forensic team has visited the scene and collected samples. The investigation is focused on confirming the sequence of events and establishing individual roles in the assault," said the officer.
Police are also recording statements of the two other friends to understand how the situation escalated to an assault of such extent, and are also speaking to witnesses at the market. Local residents expressed concern over the location of the incident, pointing out that the assault took place inside a municipal market during morning hours. Police have since cordoned off the area.