A couple was allegedly assaulted by a few bank officers and their musclemen when they were unable to pay the equated monthly instalment (EMI) of their flat, which they bought by taking a loan from the nationalised bank.

Urmila Banik and her husband Gopal purchased the flat in Banamali Ghosal Lane, Behala, in 2002. The bankmen allegedly barged into the flat, assaulted Urmila, damaged furniture and threatened them with dire consequences. They also asked the Baniks to vacate their flat.

Urmila, after lodging a complaint with the police, has also written to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to look into the matter.

The flat was purchased in Urmila?s name in 2002. But within a short period, Gopal retired and Urmila?s business also closed down due to recurrent losses.

Urmila said that she had bought the flat for Rs 14 lakh. ?I had paid Rs 7 lakh from my own savings and loaned the rest from the Free School Street branch of Bank of India. According to the agreement with the bank, the loan was repayable within 15 years,? she added.

?For a period of two years, I paid my EMI of Rs 9,000 per month. But, later on, as I could not pay the EMIs, I requested the bank authorities to waive the interest and allow me to clear my outstanding principal amount. But they did not agree,? she said.

?On February 13, I was surprised to see some bank officers with a few musclemen assaulting my husband, who is a cardiac patient. They first threatened my husband. Then they started abusing me. They said they had court orders to take over the flat. However, when I asked them to show the orders, they could not produce the papers,? she alleged.

Immediately after lodging a complaint with Behala police station, Urmila initiated a case in the chief judicial magistrate?s court in Alipore, on March 6.

?The matter has shocked me and my family members. Moreover, it has tarnished our image in the locality,? she said.

On March 30, Urmila received another letter from the bank?s zonal office.

The letter said the Free School Street branch had been ?advised to redress your grievances conclusively?.

When contacted, P.K. Roy Chowdhury, senior manager, follow-up audit cell of the bank, said: ?I have written to the branch and necessary steps will be taken.?