A doctor couple who stay in a rented apartment at Uniworld City in New Town were allegedly beaten up by guards at the housing complex following an altercation over the payment of common area maintenance charges.
The couple lodged a complaint with the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate alleging that the guards had on Thursday kicked open the front door of their 18th-floor apartment and pushed the wife to the ground before taking the husband to the basement parking lot, when he was assaulted till he passed out.
The couple also mentioned in the police complaint, lodged on Friday, that they were being harassed and prevented by guards from entering their flat.
This despite them showing the guards proof of the payment of the maintenance charges by the apartment’s owner, the doctors wrote in the complaint.
The couple also wrote that a guard in the ground-floor lobby had on Thursday prevented the wife from entering the lift on the grounds of “non-payment” of maintenance charges.
The guard also allegedly told her that the maid hired by the family would not be allowed to enter the building. Delivery persons, too, would not be allowed to visit the apartment.
The guard also allegedly tried to drag her by her arm.
The security officer of the complex, Mohammed Saharul Islam, said three guards had been suspended.
“I had apologised to the couple for the incident and wanted to settle the matter. Three of the guards that the man had identified as being part of the group that had gone to the couple’s flat have been suspended,” said Islam.
Supriyo Ghosh, secretary of the residents’ welfare association at Uniworld City, said: “There was a misunderstanding between the guards and the couple. Other than that I don’t know anything.”
Anindya Dey, inspector in charge of Techno City police station, said the couple as well as the agency that deployed the guards have lodged complaints. “We have started a probe and are in the process of checking CCTV footage.”
The agency’s complaint alleged that the husband misbehaved with the guards.
The Telegraph spoke to the couple on Sunday.
The woman said she was pushed down and groped by the guards who kicked open the flat’s front door.
“My husband screamed for help and asked me to run into the bedroom. I ran into the bedroom, locked the door and then locked myself in the attached bathroom, knowing well that the flimsy doors could not protect me,” the woman said.
The husband said some of the guards tried to chase her into the bedroom but he managed to stop them.
“They then took away my cellphone and asked me to accompany them to the ground floor,” the husband said.
“The guards threatened to cause harm to my wife if I did not comply with their order,” the husband said. He was taken to the basement parking where he was allegedly beaten up till he passed out.
“When I regained consciousness, I saw the security officer, Mohammed Saharul Islam. He made me sit on his bike and took me to his office (in the complex), where he told me to write an apology. By then my wife and aunt, who stays in a different tower, reached the spot with neighbours,” said the husband.
He was taken to Salt Lake Sub-divisional Hospital, where he was treated.
Advocate Srijib Chakra-borty said it was “illegal” to stop anyone from entering his or her flat even if the person has defaulted on the maintenance charges.
South City Residency secretary Manoj Gupta said even if a flat owner is a defaulter, the residents’ welfare association does not have the right to stop the family or tenants from entering the flat.
“We display the names of the defaulters and the outstanding amounts. We cannot stop them from accessing their flats,” Gupta said