Elderly woman beaten up in Kolkata for protesting against bursting firecrackers

October 23, 2025

Kolkata: An elderly woman in Kolkata has lodged a complaint against five men who allegedly assaulted her after she protested against the bursting of firecrackers late at night during Kali Puja celebrations.

The incident took place in the Bhawanipur area of south Kolkata in the early hours of Tuesday.

Complaint Initially Refused by Police

The woman, identified as Anupama Chowdhury, a resident of 4B Asutosh Mukherjee Road, alleged that when she first approached the police on Tuesday, officers refused to register her complaint, citing festive-night exemptions for fireworks.

However, she returned to the police station on Thursday accompanied by a lawyer, after which an FIR was registered against five individuals based on her complaint. No arrests have been made so far.

Allegations of Assault and Property Damage

According to Chowdhury, a group of young men from the neighbourhood were bursting loud firecrackers around 1.30 a.m., well beyond the legally permitted hours. She claimed that her house suffered minor fire damage from the fireworks.

“When I saw smoke filling my house, I went downstairs to ask them to stop. They forcibly grabbed me and beat me up. My brother was also assaulted. None of the locals came to help,” she told reporters.

Police Begin Investigation

The woman has expressed fear of being attacked again and has accused the police of initial non-cooperation. Police officials, however, said that an investigation is now underway and statements are being recorded.