Kolkata Police are investigating allegations that an 80-year-old man and his 76-year-old wife were threatened and assaulted during a dispute over a temporary late-night food stall allegedly operating outside their home on Galiff Street, now known as Mahatma Sisir Kumar Sarani, in north Kolkata.
The couple lodged a complaint at Shyampukur Police Station after objecting to what they described as an unauthorised food stall operating on the footpath outside their residential premises for about three weeks. According to the complaint, the stall was being set up every Saturday evening at around 8.30pm and operated until 2am on Sunday.
The complainants also raised concerns about an open flame and a commercial gas stove being used close to their ground-floor residence. The elderly man said the arrangement created a potential smoke and fire risk, particularly because their apartment complex no longer had built-in fire emergency services.
The woman alleged that a person living in the vicinity confronted her after she began recording the alleged encroachment. She accused the individual of verbally abusing her, making crude gestures and engaging in conduct intended to insult her modesty. The complaint further alleges that the confrontation escalated when an elderly family member and another resident attempted to intervene.
According to the couple’s account, the accused allegedly charged at them, issued death threats and pushed and assaulted them. The allegations have not been independently established, and the police investigation will determine the sequence of events and the roles of the individuals 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 couple’s complaint and remains under investigation.
Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding area to establish what occurred and identify all those involved. Police are also examining the alleged encroachment on the footpath and the circumstances under which the temporary stall was being operated near the residential building.
The dispute brings together two immediate civic concerns: the use of public footpaths for commercial activity and safety risks associated with cooking equipment near homes. The police inquiry is expected to establish the facts of the alleged assault and intimidation, while any action on the reported encroachment and stall operation will depend on the findings of the relevant authorities.
The next step in the case is the review of CCTV footage and further investigation by Shyampukur Police Station.
