Kurseong SDO accused of mentally torturing subordinate

EOI, Darjeeling, 25 May 2016: Alleging harassment and mental torture on her husband, Ranjana Pradhan Sar, the wife of Tridib Sar, a deputy magistrate at the Sub-Divisional Office in Kurseong, has filed a police complaint demanding action against the SDO.

In her complaint, Ranjana claims that Bipul Kumar Biswas, the Kurseong SDO, used to mentally torture her husband. This was going on ever since after the Assembly elections got over and today, things got to such a head that her husband had to be admitted in hospital.

“I rushed to the hospital when informed that my husband had been admitted in serious condition. My husband used to tell me how the SDO tortured him mentally. I’ve been told that my husband fainted and even got panic attacks,” Ranjana alleged.

She further said that not only her husband but other employees too were at the receiving end of the SDO’s highhanded ways. “Other office employees have also been harassed by the SDO on many occasions. But as things went out of hand today, I demand strict and proper action against the SDO so that such incidents do not recur,” Ranjana said.

Some of the staffers present during the incident said Sar suddenly fainted and had to be rushed to hospital. They staged a demonstration demanding the SDO’s transfer. “He fainted all of a sudden and fell from his chair around eleven in the morning. He was mentally disturbed since some time. The SDO had been harassing Sar and other staffers for quite some time. The SDO is anti-people and we want his transfer, otherwise we will start a pen-down agitation from tomorrow,” said BK Singh, one of the employees.

Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastava said he was looking into the matter and an inquiry would be initiated. “He (Sar) is doing well at the moment. He had to be admitted to hospital due to high blood pressure. As far as the complaint against the SDO is concerned, we will look into it,” he said.

When contacted, the SDO said he was not aware of the complaint against him. “I have not heard of any complaint against me. Therefore, I do not wish to make any comments now,” Biswas said.

Darjeeling SP Amit Javalgi confirmed of receiving a police complaint against the Kurseong SDO and said an inquiry had been started. “The wife of a deputy magistrate in Kurseong today lodged a complaint against the SDO alleging mental torture on her husband. We will make proper inquiries into the matter and also see if there are any criminal aspects,” he said.