The family of Ranjit Karmakar, who was allegedly doused with petrol and set ablaze in front of his house at Nagerbazar on Wednesday night after a Kali Puja immersion, has accused local Trinamool Congress councillor Mrinmoy Das of trying to influence the case.
The family alleged that Das visited the hospital where Karmakar is undergoing treatment to pressure him into withdrawing the names of some accused who are allegedly close to the councillor.
“He came to threaten us. He went to the hospital to force my brother-in-law to drop the name of someone close to him,” Karmakar’s sister-in-law said on Friday.
Das, councillor of Ward 11 of South Dum Dum Municipality, denied the allegation, saying he had gone to the hospital to meet someone else.
Karmakar’s family has lodged a complaint naming the men accused of setting him on fire and alleging their links with the councillor.
On Thursday, Das had described the incident as an “accident” that occurred while fuel was being transferred from one motorcycle to another.
South Dum Dum Municipality chairperson Kasturi Chowdhury said: “An inquiry will be conducted.”
Barrackpore city police said on Friday that the accused men were intoxicated during the incident and that raids were being conducted to arrest them.
Cracker assault cases
Kolkata Police are yet to make any arrests in two incidents where residents were assaulted for protesting against loud crackers.
A woman on Ashutosh Mukherjee Road, who has a heart condition, said she was heckled after objecting to loud fireworks outside her balcony on Diwali night. A formal complaint has been lodged naming the accused, but no arrests had been made till Friday evening.
At Parnasree, police have taken no action against men who allegedly assaulted a couple protesting against a DJ-led immersion procession on Wednesday night.
Subhasish Sensharma, who was punched by the men, said they would file a written complaint on behalf of their housing society. “The police recorded a general diary entry based on a verbal complaint but have not acted since,” he said.
