A mob allegedly assaulted a civic police volunteer and one of the attackers is said to have bit off a part of his right ear at his home in Hooghly's Sheoraphuli early on Sunday.

Police said the attack followed an altercation and a scuffle between Tarakeshwar Patwa, the 25-year-old civic cop, and another youth named Kundan Roy.

Roy, who allegedly bit Patwa's ear, has been arrested under IPC sections 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons or means). If convicted, he can be jailed for up to 10 years.

"We are looking for the other attackers," an officer of Serampore police station said.

The police said the scuffle broke out when Patwa, a resident of Nayabasti in Rishra, under Serampore police station, was on his way to join duty at Sheoraphuli outpost around 12.30pm on Saturday.

"On the way Patwa ran into another civic cop and started chatting with him," an officer said.

"Kundan and his friends were standing near the spot where Patwa was talking to his colleague. Trouble started when Kundan allegedly abused Patwa. An altercation started between Patwa and Kundan, which soon turned into a scuffle," the officer said.

After the scuffle, Patwa decided not to report for duty and returned home.

Kundan, and his parents and friends allegedly turned up at Patwa's house around 12.45am and started banging the door.

"As soon as my brother Chandan and father Triloki stepped out, Kundan and his friends started assaulting them. When I rushed to their rescue, Kundan pounced on me. He bit my right ear. I was groaning in pain but he did not let go of me," Patwa said.

An officer said Kundan's parents were not involved in the assault.

"Our investigations revealed that the parents did not take part in the attack. They went there to sort out the matter and tried to prevent their son from assaulting Patwa. We are looking for Kundan's friends who were involved in the attack," the officer said.

Kundan's family members told the police that the youth had suffered head injuries after falling off a running train a few years ago.