Case against 32 for assaulting retd scientist

Two days after members of a local club at Baruipur thrashed retired scientist Aparesh Bhattacharya and his daughter, Aditi, allegedly at the behest of the owner of the rented house where they used to stay, the police swung into action and slapped a case under bailable sections against the accused.

"We’ve received a complaint from Aditi and started a case against the owner of the house, Gautam Pal, and others," Arnab Biswas, sub-divisional police officer, Baruipur, said.

In all, 32 people, including Pal’s wife, were named in the FIR.

The police contended that the nature of the complaint did not merit anything else.

"We’ve gone through the complaint, but found that the allegations are bailable in nature," Biswas said.

Earlier, on Sunday, when the incident took place, the police did not entertain any complaint from the Bhattacharyas, although they found them bleeding in front of their house.

On Tuesday, Hindustan Times reported how a gang of about 30 people from a local club, the Bhai Bhaisangha, thrashed the retired scientist and molested and stripped his 30-year-old daughter and threw them out of the house.

Pal also lodged a complaint with the police against the duo.

On Tuesday, the South 24-Parganas police admitted that there was inaction on the part of Baruipur police station.

"We’ll conduct an inquiry on the police inaction alleged by Aditi. The cops who reached the spot could have taken father and daughter to hospital," the SDPO said.