Branded thief at birthday party, teen burnt with cigarettes

HOWRAH: A 14-year-old electrician’s apprentice was ruthlessly beaten up, branded with cigarettes and left to die on the banks of the Hooghly in Belur’s upmarket Jajodia Gardens in Howrah on Sunday evening. The incident happened while he was working at the birthday party of a child not much younger than him, the son of businessman Subhas (Bappa) Banerjee.
The party was in full swing when the loudspeaker suddenly fell silent. On checking, the revellers realised that somebody had made away with the cellphone connected to the loudspeaker. Some guests pointed fingers at the teenager. Banerjee and the others started thrashing the boy even as he pleaded innocence.
The boy from Belur’s Girish Ghosh Road, who had been forced to drop out of Class IX and take up the job due to his father’s disability, was then dragged into the clubhouse adjacent to the sprawling lawns and tortured relentlessey. According to the police, several cigarettes were pressed on his body, scarring him. Somebody even attempted to throttle him. Finally, when he lost consciousness, Banerjee and the others carried him to the riverbank and left him there. The police suspect they had hoped for the high tide to wash him into the river.
However, bathers discovered the boy lying in muck on Monday morning and took him to T L Jaiswal Hospital, where doctors revived him. He was released from hospital on Tuesday evening, after which his mother lodged a police complaint.
Doctors said it will take long for the boy’s trauma — both physical and mental — to heal. Banerjee and the other accused, all absconding, have been charged with criminal intimidation, causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons, illegal confinement and other sections.
“The injuries on the boy’s body are very serious. We have launched a search for the accused, but they are absconding. We shall take all steps to ensure they are punished. Many of the charges are non-bailable,” said Bhavna Gupta, ACP (North), Howrah City Police.