A police constable out on a spin lost control of the car near the Baisakhi Island in Salt Lake and crashed into the gate of a house in BG block late on Sunday, police said.

Tara Shankar Banerjee, the state police constable posted in Basirhat, was arrested after the owner of the house lodged a complaint with the Bidhannagar East police station.

Banerjee was not on duty at the time and could not give any explanation why he was out driving during the lockdown. He has been charged under Section 188 of the IPC for violation of order promulgated by government that carries a punishment of jail time for six months or a fine of Rs 1,000 or both.

This section is being used by the police to book lockdown violators. Banerjee has also been charged under IPC Section 279 (rash and negligent driving).

There were at least two other men in the Maruti WagonR that Banerjee was driving. Both fled, an officer of Bidhannagar East police station said. Banerjee was pulled out of the vehicle by residents, who had rushed outside on hearing a loud noise.

The constable had jumped a signal before the car turned on its side and went on to hit the gate, the officer said.

The residents alerted local councillor Anita Mondal, who called police. A police patrol reached the spot and took Banerjee to the Salt Lake sub-divisional hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.

Banerjee was headed towards the Kwality Island in Salt Lake’s Sector I from the police housing complex near Baisakhi, police said.

“The car was speeding. The driver had tried to take a turn at the Baisakhi roundabout at high speed but lost control of his car. We will question him to find out why he was out driving and if there were others with him,” the officer said.

The car’s front bumper had come off while the bonnet was crushed.

The front windshield, too, was cracked. The impact also left the iron gate of the house twisted and a pillar damaged, the officer said.

“I rushed to the spot on getting a call and a police team arrived soon afterwards. The man was trapped inside the car as it had turned on its side, pinning the door on the driver’s side down. The residents who had gathered there and cops pushed the car back and got him,' Mondal said.

Brotin Chakraborty, a BG block resident, said he had stepped out on the balcony for a smoke when he heard tyres screeching, followed by a loud noise.

“I saw the car lying on its side, smoke and liquid coming out it. It had landed on the gate of a house. I rushed out and, along with two other residents, tried to push the car back on its wheels and get him out but we could not,” Chakraborty said.

More residents gathered and a police team arrived before Banerjee could be pulled out.