A Trinamool Congress trade union leader was caught on CCTV slapping a petrol pump owner in Phoolbagan on Tuesday afternoon.
The leader, Kabita Gupta, admitted to slapping the owner, Sumona Das Roy, 52, alleging that Das Roy had abused her and used foul language against chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The incident took place at a fuel station on Swami Swarupananda Sarani. Das Roy later lodged a complaint against Gupta and others who barged into the pump.
CCTV footage shows Das Roy seated on a chair as Gupta and a group of people arrive. Gupta is seen pushing and then slapping Das Roy.
“I inherited this pump from my father; it was set up in 1964. A section of former employees had been blackmailing me with unfair demands related to provident fund. In June, they announced a cease-work. I tried to reason with them, but they shut down the pump,” Das Roy told
Metro on Wednesday.
Gupta claimed the former employees had not been paid two months’ salary and had gone to demand their dues. “The pump owner has cheated several employees and removed them from work. Everyone is talking about me slapping her, but no one is asking why,” said Gupta. “She was using foul language against our chief minister. As a woman, I couldn’t tolerate that.”
Das Roy said she sought police help to reopen the pump and hired a new set of employees. “The trade union leader is threatening me to reinstate the old staff. She slapped me on Wednesday,” she alleged, adding that a case on the provident fund matter is pending in court.
She also filed a complaint accusing a section of former employees of trying to sabotage her business through “undue demands”.
“An investigation has been started,” said an officer of the Eastern Suburban Division.
The police said they are looking into the allegations from both sides. “Whatever the provocation, no one has the right to assault another person. Taking the law into your own hands is not an option,” an officer said.
No one had been arrested till Wednesday evening.