A major controversy has erupted in Cooch Behar after the District Superintendent of Police (SP), Dyutiman Bhattacharya, was allegedly captured on CCTV emerging from his official residence and using a stick against a group of local residents, including women and children, who were reportedly setting off firecrackers well past midnight during Diwali celebrations. The incident, which has sparked significant public outrage, occurred around 1:30 AM in the Rail Gumti area, Ward No. 9.

Allegations of Unprovoked Assault

Local residents claim the police action was an unprovoked assault. Mallika Karji, a resident, alleged a sudden and violent intervention. “We were celebrating the festival by bursting crackers. The police suddenly arrived and started hitting people,” she stated. Furthermore, she claimed that the SP himself, allegedly wearing a vest and half-pants, “assaulted women and children.”

In direct response to the alleged midnight assault, residents briefly blocked the road in front of the SP’s bungalow to demand action before being dispersed by police. The circulation of CCTV footage purportedly showing the SP wielding a stick has intensified the public outcry.

SP Denies Lathi-Charge, Cites Security and Noise Violation

SP Dyutiman Bhattacharya has vehemently denied that any lathi-charge took place. He contended that the situation escalated due to the continuous and excessive noise from firecrackers being set off long past the permissible time limit.

“Firecrackers were being set off since evening. Our security personnel repeatedly asked them to stop after 10 PM, but it continued,” the SP explained. He added that the situation peaked when, “In the deep night, up to 60 banned firecrackers were set off simultaneously. Our pets were terrified. There was absolutely no lathi-charge.”

In a counter-move, police have released their own CCTV footage which they claim shows crackers being aimed at the SP’s bungalow late at night, suggesting a potential security breach. The SP’s wife, Roshni Das Bhattacharya, corroborated the issue of noise, saying, “The elderly and the pets in the house were distressed by the noise. Bursting crackers till so late was creating a problem.”

Environmental Concerns and Social Dynamics

The incident has also brought the issue of noise pollution and environmental law violations to the forefront. Binay Das, convenor of the environmental body Cooch Behar Parjyabaran Sangrakshan, voiced support for the police’s response. “Bursting crackers at such a late hour, violating Supreme Court laws, is wrong. The police took a justified stand considering the well-being of animals and the environment,” he commented.

Furthermore, it has been noted that the parents of some of the children allegedly involved in bursting the crackers are reportedly professionals, including lawyers and teachers. The ongoing investigation will likely scrutinize the full CCTV evidence and testimonies to ascertain the precise sequence of events during the controversial late-night confrontation.

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