By IANS,
Kolkata : The Dum Dum Metro station in the northern suburb of Kolkata turned into a battleground Monday night after passengers and locals protested against the Railway Protection Force (RPF) beating up a commuter who had alighted at the station.
Several people, including two camera personnel of new channels, were injured as the RPF allegedly baton charged the mob protesting against the cops ‘inhuman treatment’ of the man, said to be an epileptic patient.
Metro railway authorities, however, alleged that the man Gobinda Dey did not have a proper ticket and when he was chased by the RPF and metro employees, he fell down and injured himself.
The Metro Railway spokesman said that the man tried to escape the penalty by feigning senselessness and was handed over to the local police.
But passengers who witnessed the incident said Dey was forced to come out of a side gate as the ticket punching machine did not work.
“Immediately the police started beating him up mercilessly. He became unconscious and was frothing at the mouth.. But for half an hour he lay unattended at the station. Later, they admitted him to a government hospital,” said an eye-witness.
As angry people protested, police reinforcements were rushed in. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawans were also deployed.
Locals alleged that the police indiscriminately baton charged the passengers and locals, and several people sustained injuries.
Two camerapersons who were taking footage of the police action also sustained injuries.
Hospital sources said Dey was in a serious condition.
Meanwhile, the police denied that they had baton charged the people. “We only chased the people away,” a police official said.