TMC's actor-MLA assaults restaurant owner for 'abusing' Abhishek Banerjee, apologises later
Kolkata, Jun 8: Actor-turned-Trinamool Congress MLA Soham Chakraborty created a controversy by assaulting a restaurant owner who allegedly abused party MP Abhishek Banerjee during the shooting of a film there.
Both Chakraborty and restaurant owner Anisul Alam lodged complaints with the police against each other, an officer said on Saturday.
The MLA later said he wanted to apologise to Alam as he should have controlled his anger.
The problem between the two sides began over parking the cars of Chakraborty and his men in front of the eatery in New Town near Kolkata.
According to CCTV footage of the restaurant, which has gone viral, Chakraborty was seen assaulting Alam.
When contacted, the restaurant owner claimed that he had allowed shooting in a portion of his restaurant "free of cost" on late Saturday evening.
"The entire parking space was occupied by the cars of Mr Chakraborty and his men. My staff told his men to remove their cars as other customers were not able to park their vehicles," Alam said.
The restaurant owner added that the actor's men told him that he's an MLA and a very close friend of TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
"I said that I don't care even if he is Narendra Modi's friend or Abhishek's. It was then when suddenly Mr Chakraborty came and punched me on my face and kicked me in my abdomen," Alam alleged.
Chakraborty admitted to slapping the restaurant owner.
"The owner was abusing my staff and Abhishek Banerjee. He also abused me. I lost my cool and slapped him... I should have kept my cool and could have controlled my anger. I would like to apologise to the owner," the actor-turned MLA said.
On Saturday evening, Chakraborty went to Techno City Police Station and demanded that the police get the CCTV footage of the parking lot where the problem began.
"My action last evening was the reaction to the problem which started at the parking lot. The footage that has been released or made viral is showing me attacking the owner. But why is not the footage of the parking lot not released? I will request the police to watch that also to understand how it started," he said.
A senior officer of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate said that the restaurant owner on Saturday lodged a complaint against the MLA and his security guards.
"We have received complaints both from the MLA and the restaurant owner against each other. We have started cases and investigations are on," the officer said.
Welcome to West Bengal.
— Krishanu Singha ( Modi Ka Parivar ) (@KrishanuOnline) June 8, 2024
TMC MLA Soham Chakraborty mercilessly beats, drags by collar a restaurant owner and then misuses his security to beat up other staffers in Kolkata's New Town.
Well, no action will be taken against him, the law is of the ruler as there is no rule of law.… pic.twitter.com/nJiMDEthyU
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Schools in Mizoram's nine districts closed due to rain
Aizawl (PTI): All schools in nine districts of Mizoram remained closed on Tuesday due to heavy rain that has been lashing the northeastern state since the day before, an official said.
School Education Director Angela Zothanpuii said administrations of nine districts, including Aizawl, Kolasib, Lunglei and Mamit, announced school closure on Tuesday as a precautionary measure for students' safety.
However, schools in the southern districts of Hnahthial and Lawngtlai remained open following a slight improvement in weather conditions there, she said.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Serchhip recorded the highest rainfall at 70.5 mm in a 24-hour period, followed by Hnahthial 55 mm, Siaha 37.5 mm, and Aizawl 36 mm.
Khawzawl district reported 30 mm of rainfall, Mamit 25.9 mm, Kolasib 25 mm, Lawngtlai 17.5 mm, and Lunglei 2.2 mm during the same period, it said.
The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning in Mizoram on Tuesday.
