Minati Dutta in hospital. Picture by Gopal Senapati

A 52-year-old woman was allegedly beaten up by a few local youths at her Bally home, in Howrah, on Sunday night after she refused to pay Kali puja subscription.

Minati Dutta was admitted to TL Jaiswal Hospital with an injury in the head and pain in the abdomen. No one has been arrested.

Minati’s family members alleged that police had misbehaved with them and refused to hear them out. The youths, however, denied the charge and lodged a complaint with the police alleging that they were assaulted by Minati and her two sons.

“We have received complaints from both Minati Dutta and the members of a local club,” said Niraj Kumar Singh, the superintendent of police (Howrah). “I have asked Bally police station to conduct an inquiry. Action will be taken against the guilty.”

The state government on Friday had warned of “stern action” against those found guilty of collecting subscriptions forcefully.

Minati’s younger son Raju said: “A few members of Udayan Sangha Kali puja committee came to our house in North Ghoshpara around 9.15pm and demanded Rs 101. My mother told them we could not pay the amount as we had run up a huge bill for the treatment of one of our relatives. But they were not convinced and left the house, only to return minutes later with a bigger group.”

As Minati again refused to to pay the amount, the youths allegedly pounced on her, assaulted her with sticks and kicked her in the abdomen. “When I rushed to her rescue, they kicked me, too,” said Raju’s wife Tanushree.

Minati went to the police station and lodged a general diary against the club members. She threw up on returning home and had to be taken to hospital.

“Police visited our home but misbehaved with us. I will lodge a complaint with the police superintendent and the state human rights commission,” said Minati.

The club members, however, claimed they have been implicated in a false case after they protested a gambling racket “run from Minati’s house at night”.

“We did not even visit her house. We were at a neighbour’s home collecting subscription when the woman and her two sons came running and attacked us,” said Dilip Roy, the secretary of the club.