Kolkata Police parade accused shirtless during Behala assault case reconstruction

Kolkata Police on Tuesday forced the accused of “vigilantism” to parade shirtless across the streets of Behala's Sarsuna during the ‘reconstruction’ of the crime scene, where they reportedly made an 18-year-old youth, his father and his 19-year-old friend allegedly assaulted and paraded naked on Sunday. Videos on social media show three accused being tied by a rope around their waist and walking barefoot with police flanking them.

Police have not issued an official statement. According to The Indian Express, a senior police officer said, “They were being taken to reconstruct the crime scene.”

On Sunday, a teenager was seen kissing a 13-year-old girl near Khalpar Math in the Khudiram Pally area. He was there with his friend. According to police, the girl's uncle saw the boy kissing her and alerted her father and uncle. The girl's father then reached the spot, forcibly took the teenager and his friend to their place. They assaulted them and forced the boy to call his parents there.

According to an Indian Express report, the girl's relatives gave them three ‘choices’: first, they could be framed in a police case; second, they could be shot dead; and third, if they wanted to save their lives, they must roam the streets nude while the incident was recorded on video.

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Then the son, his father and his friend were paraded naked through the streets of Behala for 50 metres and held at gunpoint. Nearby people intervened, provided them clothes and shelter.

The boy's father then approached the police and filed a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and kidnapping. Police arrested the girl’s relatives, including her parents, on Monday.

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy called the incident appalling and said that it reflects a breakdown of law and order under the BJP rule, while BJP leader Dr Indranil Khan said that the accused are associated with TMC, whose influence has significantly diminished but their mentality remains the same.