Withdraw cases or...: Gunmen threaten mom, girl in Behala lane

Kolkata: A woman and her minor daughter were allegedly intercepted, physically assaulted and robbed at gunpoint by two bike-borne miscreants near Behala Chowrasta's Methorpatti area on Monday night, where the attackers allegedly threatened the duo, demanding immediate withdrawal of pending legal cases against certain individuals. Officers at Parnasree Police Station have registered a case and are currently verifying the details, though sources indicate the incident may have stemmed from an ongoing family dispute. No arrest has been made so far.The events unfolded around 9.30 pm on May 18, amid heavy rain that left the street virtually deserted. The woman and her younger daughter were walking home when the two unidentified men on a bike blocked their path and asked the woman to withdraw the cases.The confrontation escalated into violence. According to the complaint, one of the miscreants slapped the woman when she refused to give in to their demand. When she attempted to protest, the accused snatched her mobile phone and handbag. One of the attackers then grabbed her by her scarf, twisting her arm with enough force to tear her clothes — an act investigators have noted as an attempt to outrage her modesty.As the woman tried to resist, one of the bikers pulled out a weapon from his pocket. The attackers held the weapon against her forehead, stopping any further resistance. They warned the woman that if she or her daughter shouted for help, the minor would be severely harmed. The miscreants then snatched a gold chain and a locket from the woman. Before fleeing, the duo delivered an ultimatum: all existing legal cases against their associates must be dropped within a week, or the entire family would face dire consequences.Due to the rain and the resultant poor visibility, the traumatised woman could not identify the faces of the masked or helmeted attackers. The severe psychological trauma had left both mother and daughter deeply anxious, delaying the formal reporting of the incident. A written complaint was eventually submitted, leading to the official registration of the case on May 20.Parnasree cops initiated a probe under strict BNS sections, including wrongful restraint, physical assault, criminal intimidation, robbery and acts intending to outrage a woman's modesty, alongside sections of the Arms Act."We have begun examining a few witnesses. Prima facie, there are deep-seated family disputes involving the complainant's family. This appears to be purely a family matter rather than a political rivalry. We are verifying every claim and will submit a detailed report to the court soon," a senior officer said.