A Tollygunge family was attacked on Friday night after the mother asked revellers to stop bursting loud firecrackers outside their home, where her four-year-old son with a heart condition was frightened by the noise.
Kolkata witnessed yet another shocking case of violence linked to firecracker noise on Friday night. The incident took place in Tollygunge, where a group of youths allegedly entered a family’s home and assaulted members after the mother objected to firecrackers being burst in front of her house. Her four-year-old son suffers from a heart ailment and cannot tolerate loud noise, family members said.
According to police, the attackers also vandalised the house, damaged household items, and even overturned a gas cylinder. The child’s father said he and his relatives tried to reason with the youths, asking them to move a few metres away, but were instead met with abuse and physical assault.
Police arrest two, call for stricter awareness
Tollygunge police said two accused have been arrested, and searches are on to trace others involved. South Kolkata MP Mala Roy, who reached the spot shortly after the incident, condemned the attack and directed police to take “the strongest possible action”.
Environmental activist Subhas Datta termed the assault “barbaric”, adding, “If speaking against noise pollution becomes a crime, we are failing as a society.”
Former PCB law officer Biswajit Mukhopadhyay said the case shows how “unchecked fireworks during Kali Puja” continue to endanger health and peace. Ritam’s family has demanded stern punishment for the culprits, while neighbours remain anxious after the attack.
