Harassed, abused and assaulted by three drunk youths, a young couple went to Maniktala police station only to be threatened by the trio and their friends not to lodge a complaint.

With the cops allegedly remaining mute witnesses, Rahmat Ali and Amina Bibi had to return without lodging an FIR. The cops later registered a general diary on their own.

Unlike a general diary, an FIR requires the police to register a case, start a probe and arrest the accused.

Rahmat and Amina, residents of Ultadanga, came to the staff quarters of Bagmari burial ground around 11pm on Sunday. Rahmat’s father, Imam Ali Gazi, is an employee of the burial ground.

As soon as they entered the compound on a motorcycle, a youth on a two-wheeler came from behind and blocked their way. He asked Rahmat where he was headed and what was his relation with the woman riding pillion. Moments later, two more youths turned up on a motorcycle and asked Rahmat to get off his vehicle.

Rahmat asked the trio to mind their business. “All three were drunk. They soon started abusing me and one of the youths slapped me. When my wife intervened and threatened to lodge a police complaint if they did not let us go, another youth tried to drag her away by her hand,” Rahmat recalled.

Alerted by Amina’s cries for help, some graveyard employees rushed to the spot. They called Maniktala police station and a team arrived after around 15 minutes. The cops took away the three men and asked the couple to visit the police station if they wanted to lodge a complaint.

The couple went to the police station and had to narrate their experience several times to the duty officer.

“We were shocked to find the trio sitting there. When we requested the officer to take action against them, the youths threatened us with dire consequences if we lodged an FIR,” said Rahmat.

A gang of 20 then turned up at the police station and repeated the threat. The cops allegedly remained inert throughout the drama, except for advising the couple to resolve the issue with the gang.

“The police told me that the trio had mistaken us for outsiders. My wife was very scared and collapsed. I had to rush her to ESI Hospital,” Rahmat said.

Kamal Kumar Patra, the officer-in-charge of Maniktala police station, said: “A general diary was lodged as the couple wanted to settle the matter mutually. The three youths were from Rajabazar,” he said.

Rahmat, however, told Metro that he wanted to lodge an FIR but was prevented by the police from doing so. When told about the couple’s allegation, Patra said: “You can send them to me if they want to lodge an FIR.”

Sheikh M. Hossain, the sub-registrar of Bagmari burial ground, said: “We have asked both sides to come on Wednesday.”