Police in north Kolkata are investigating allegations that an 80-year-old man and his 76-year-old wife were threatened and assaulted during a dispute over an unauthorised late-night food stall operating outside their residence on Galiff Street, now known as Mahatma Sisir Kumar Sarani. A complaint has been lodged at Shyampukur Police Station, with officers reviewing CCTV footage from the area.
According to the complaint reported by the Times of India, the temporary food stall had allegedly been operating for about three weeks, setting up on Saturday evenings from around 8.30 pm until 2 am on Sunday. The couple objected to the activity, citing smoke and fire risks from a commercial gas stove placed close to their ground-floor home.
The complainants also alleged that the stall amounted to an encroachment on the footpath and raised concerns about the safety of residents. The elderly woman said a local resident confronted her when she was recording the alleged encroachment. She alleged that the individual used abusive language, made crude gestures and behaved in a manner intended to outrage her modesty.
The complaint further alleged that when an elderly family member and another resident intervened, the accused charged at them, issued death threats and pushed or assaulted them. The allegations have not been independently established, and the police investigation is expected to determine the sequence of events and identify everyone involved.
Police have registered a case under Sections 79 and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Section 79 concerns words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman, while Section 351 relates to criminal intimidation. The case follows the alleged confrontation over the stall and the use of the adjoining public space.
The dispute highlights the difficulty of regulating temporary commercial activity on residential streets, particularly when cooking equipment, late-night operations and pedestrian space are involved. The immediate questions before the authorities include whether the stall had any permission, whether the footpath was obstructed and whether fire-safety requirements were being met. Police are examining CCTV footage to verify the allegations and assess the reported encroachment. Further legal action will depend on the findings of the investigation.
