On Saturday, 19-year-old Sachin Chowdhury was brutally assaulted by youngsters after he protested against the harassment of his sister. He speaks to Shiva Devnath about his ordeal, which illustrates the apathy of bystanders, local and railway police
“As I was being beaten up like an animal on Saturday, more than 100 people surrounded me, who just stood and watched as my assailants kept hitting me with iron rods and sticks.
Paying the price: After being thrashed with rods, Sachin Chowdhury is recovering from his injuries at Bhagwati Hospital
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They were abusing me constantly as they thrashed me. I somehow managed to call the police control room, and the officer at the other end assured me of help. But no one turned up.
I waited for more than 30 minutes, expecting the police to arrive, but no one came. While I was lying almost half dead, one of my relatives took me home.
On September 10, the accused had whistled at my sister while she was returning home. The minors had behaved like this in the past. We had approached the Samata Nagar police station after the incident, but the police counselled them and convinced us not to register a case. The accused were given a formal warning and asked to leave.
‘Blocked my way’
On Saturday, when I was on my way home from college, the same miscreants blocked my way along the railway tracks, and assaulted me.
After reaching home, my family gave me some basic treatment, and later I approached Samata Nagar police station, but they asked us to file a complaint with the railway police because the incident had taken place on track number 4.
‘Not our case’
We approached the railway police, but they too refused to register a complaint, saying that the incident was beyond their authority. They asked me to go to a local police station. After 18 hours, we finally managed to file an FIR.
Around six people beat me up. Now, the Samata Nagar police are saying only three attacked me. When my parents and I had gone to the police station, about 5-7 goons barged into my place and threatened my sister. She called us in panic and begged us to rush home.
We are living in fear, and have sent my sister to our native place.
The case
About five days ago, Sachin and his 21-year-old sister were walking back to their home from college when three 15-year-old boys started whistling and passed lewd comments at her at Poisar. Sachin confronted them and later approached the police and complained against the three. The trio received a warning from the police and were let off. On Saturday morning, around 11 pm, he was confronted by the three. They took him near the railway tracks, abused him and thrashed him with iron rods. They dumped him near the railway yard and fled. While two of the accused have been arrested on charges of assault and outraging the modesty of a woman, the third accused is on the run. u00a0
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