Police vs public fireworks dominated post-Diwali proceedings on Bama Charan Roy Road, in Behala, with residents protesting the alleged ‘bucket-and-bricks’ attack on them by a local inspector.

Monday saw sit-in-demonstrations in front of inspector P.K. Banerjee’s residence, demanding his arrest. Posters were up in the Behala pocket seeking support against the “bad cop”.

Trouble was sparked late on Sunday when residents were watching a fireworks display at the edge of a waterbody. Banerjee later claimed the residents were bursting “banned crackers”.

“It was just a fireworks display put up by children,” said Ranjita Sharma, a victim of the inspector’s ire.

“Suddenly, a bucket full of water crashed against my neck; it had been hurled from the first floor of the Banerjee residence... I am still in a lot of pain,” added Ranjita, recuperating at Vidyasagar Hospital on Monday.

The flying bucket was just the beginning, residents alleged, as the next missiles that Banerjee aimed at the crowd were “bricks and pieces of broken asbestos”.

“He was hurling these things — and abuses — with an intention to hurt us. He appeared to be drunk,” said Rajendra Kumar Jha, who had been watching the fireworks display with his granddaughter.

Under ‘attack’, residents alerted the local police station. “The cops heard us out and registered a written complaint but could not talk to Banerjee as he refused to open the door,” Jha said.

Local MLA Kum Kum Chakraborty and councillor Kishore Ghosh, both of the CPM, then arrived on the spot and spoke to both residents and the officer-in-charge of Behala police station. “We have asked police to take adequate measures against Banerjee,” councillor Ghosh later said.

Superintendent of police (South 24-Parganas) S.N. Gupta confirmed that a criminal case had been started against Banerjee for hurling brickbats at the residents of Bama Charan Roy Road. “We have already alerted Calcutta Police and if necessary, we will arrest him,” stressed Gupta.

Residents labelled Banerjee — who had moved into the locality four years ago — a “rogue cop” and demanded action “within 24 hours”.