The mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman, a 29-year old graphic designer, triggered violence in the Park Circus area of central Kolkata on Saturday. Angry residents claimed that the police, who were hand-in-glove with businessmen, murdered the youth. The mob set a police jeep on fire, ransacked five private buses and barricaded roads.
“Locals held agitations and attacked the police today. We had to use tear gas shells to disperse the mob,” said Jawed Shamim, DC (South). Rapid Action Force also had to be deployed to control the mob. Partho Sarathi Ghosh, DC, ESD received head injuries and was admitted to a private nursing home.
Yesterday, Rehman’s body with a smashed skull was discovered on the railway tracks between Bidhannagar and Dum Dum Stations at 11 am.
On August 18, Rehman had married Priyanka Todi, the daughter of a city businessman. She was allegedly being forced to separate from Rehman and was threatened by some top cops of the Kolkata police, including Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Gyanwant Singh and Deputy Commissioner (DD) Ajoy Kumar.
“According to the Dum Dum railway station guard, it seem to be a case of accident or suicide, as the victim was hit by a train. However, the post-mortem will make everything clear,” said Barun Mullick, Superintendent of Railway Police, Sealdah. The victim’s family, however, has lodged a complaint with the Karaya police station stating that Rehman was murdered by his in-laws. “We have forwarded the complaint to the Dum Dum Government Railway Police, who are investigating the case,” Shamim added.
Rehman, a resident of Tiljala Road, had met Priyanka (24), resident of Salt Lake, at the office of Arena Multimedia in Chowringhee last year. They got married under the Special Marriage Act at the registrar’s office in Entally in August this year. However, Priyanka’s family did not accept the marriage. On August 20, she left home to settle down with Rehman. “A day later, Karaya police officers visited our house and threatened Rehman. Later, officers including Gyanwant Singh and Ajoy Kumar called the couple and asked them to part ways. Rehman received threat calls every day,” said Rukbanur, elder brother of the deceased.
Rehman and Priyanka were called to the police headquarters in Lalbazar on August 31 and asked to dissolve the marriage. Visits to Gyanwant Singh and Ajoy Kumar followed.
On September 8, Priyanka went to her parents’ house for seven days. But did not return. Rehman, along with his relatives, went to Priyanka’s residence on September 12, only to find the gates locked.
On September 18, Sadiq Hussain, a witness to the couple’s marriage, complained to the state Human Rights Commission stating that Rehman was being threatened by the police. J Rehman, uncle of the deceased, believes Rehman was at fault for marrying a businessman’s daughter from another religion. He said, “Rehman’s last SMS to a friend was — ‘After I die, raise the issue’.”
“Locals held agitations and attacked the police today. We had to use tear gas shells to disperse the mob,” said Jawed Shamim, DC (South). Rapid Action Force also had to be deployed to control the mob. Partho Sarathi Ghosh, DC, ESD received head injuries and was admitted to a private nursing home.
Yesterday, Rehman’s body with a smashed skull was discovered on the railway tracks between Bidhannagar and Dum Dum Stations at 11 am.
On August 18, Rehman had married Priyanka Todi, the daughter of a city businessman. She was allegedly being forced to separate from Rehman and was threatened by some top cops of the Kolkata police, including Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Gyanwant Singh and Deputy Commissioner (DD) Ajoy Kumar.
“According to the Dum Dum railway station guard, it seem to be a case of accident or suicide, as the victim was hit by a train. However, the post-mortem will make everything clear,” said Barun Mullick, Superintendent of Railway Police, Sealdah. The victim’s family, however, has lodged a complaint with the Karaya police station stating that Rehman was murdered by his in-laws. “We have forwarded the complaint to the Dum Dum Government Railway Police, who are investigating the case,” Shamim added.
Rehman, a resident of Tiljala Road, had met Priyanka (24), resident of Salt Lake, at the office of Arena Multimedia in Chowringhee last year. They got married under the Special Marriage Act at the registrar’s office in Entally in August this year. However, Priyanka’s family did not accept the marriage. On August 20, she left home to settle down with Rehman. “A day later, Karaya police officers visited our house and threatened Rehman. Later, officers including Gyanwant Singh and Ajoy Kumar called the couple and asked them to part ways. Rehman received threat calls every day,” said Rukbanur, elder brother of the deceased.
Rehman and Priyanka were called to the police headquarters in Lalbazar on August 31 and asked to dissolve the marriage. Visits to Gyanwant Singh and Ajoy Kumar followed.
On September 8, Priyanka went to her parents’ house for seven days. But did not return. Rehman, along with his relatives, went to Priyanka’s residence on September 12, only to find the gates locked.
On September 18, Sadiq Hussain, a witness to the couple’s marriage, complained to the state Human Rights Commission stating that Rehman was being threatened by the police. J Rehman, uncle of the deceased, believes Rehman was at fault for marrying a businessman’s daughter from another religion. He said, “Rehman’s last SMS to a friend was — ‘After I die, raise the issue’.”
Sujato Bhadra from NGO Association of Protection for Democratic Rights said, “On September 19, Rehman wrote us a letter narrating the entire chain of events, including the names of IPS officers who were threatening him. We have reason to believe that he was murdered.”
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