Cop assault slur

TT, Jalpaiguri, July 11: People of Metelli set up a road blockade this morning in protest against an alleged assault on four employees of a petrol pump who had been picked up by police in connection with the theft of a pick-up van.

The one-hour blockade on the Metelli-Chulsa road at Salbari More was lifted after the police had assured the protesters that action would be taken against the accused law enforcers. Metelli is around 30km from here.

The residents said a Pickup van of the petrol pump owner had been stolen on Saturday and a complaint was filed. "Yesterday evening, Metelli police called six employees of the pump to the station. While the police asked the two staff members to leave the station, the four others were asked to enter the lock-up. Three police officers entered the lock-up and beaten us without any reason. We told them that we knew nothing about the theft," said Khagen Sen, one of the four men allegedly tortured at the police station.

Sen and the other three employees, Dhiraj Toppo, Surendar Oraon and Anup Saha, were admitted to Malbazar hospital. "Doctors examined us and released me and Dhiraj. Surender and Anup were admitted," Sen said.

Biswajit Roy, the pump's manager, said a complaint had been lodged with the subdivisional police officer of Malbazar against the three officers of Metelli police station.

Akash Magharia, the superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, said he had asked the Malbazar SDPO to investigate the case. "The SDPO has been asked to meet the petrol pump staff members. If the three officers are found guilty, we will take action against them," he said.