Actor-Politician Tapas Pal passes away
Kolkata: Veteran Bengali actor and former Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul died of cardiac arrest early Tuesday, a family source said. He was 61.
Paul, who had gone to Mumbai to visit his daughter, complained of chest pain at the Mumbai airport during his return to Kolkata and was rushed to a hospital in Juhu but died around 4 am, the source said.
He had been suffering from heart ailments and been to hospitals several times for treatment during the past two years. Paul, a two-term MP from Krishnanagar and an MLA from Alipore, is survived by his daughter and wife.
He was born in Chandannagar in Hooghly district and graduated from Hooghly Mohsin College in bioscience.
Paul moved away from films and active politics after the CBI arrested him in the Rose Valley chit-fund scam in December 2016 and was given bail after 13 months.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in her condolence message, said Paul's death has left a deep void in films and politics.
"Saddened and shocked to hear about the demise of Tapas Paul. He was a superstar of Bengali cinema who was a member of the Trinamool family. Tapas served the people as a two-term MP and MLA. We will miss him dearly. My condolences to his wife Nandini, daughter Sohini and his many fans," Banerjee tweeted.
A romantic hero, having endeared himself to the Bengali audience since his debut film "Dadar Kirti" in 1980, Paul became a household name courtesy his lead roles in "Saheb" (1981), "Parabat Priya" (1984), "Bhalobasa Bhalobasa" (1985), "Anurager Choyan" (1986) and "Amar Bandhan" (1986).
He made his Bollywood debut in Hiren Nag's "Abodh" (1984) opposite Madhuri Dixit Nene. He was awarded the Filmfare Award for "Saheb" (1981).
In a career spanning over three decades, Paul had worked with veteran actors Prosenjit Chatterjee, Soumitra Chatterjee, Ranjit Mallick and Raakhee Gulzar.
Some of his last appearances were in films such as "Khiladi" and "Aat ta Aater Bongaon Local".
Actor Ranjit Mallick described Paul's death as "untimely". "I am yet to come to terms with the news. He was like my younger brother. He was not keeping well for some time," Mallick said.
After the TMC was formed in 1998, Paul, inspired by Banerjee and her fight against the Left Front regime, had joined the political party in 2000. He was elected as the MLA from Alipore Assembly seat in 2001.
During the 2008-09 period, when West Bengal was witnessing winds of change, Paul had played an instrumental role in helping the party penetrate the Bengali film industry, which till then was under the firm control of the Left Front-aligned actors and directors.
After Paul's arrest in the Rose Valley chit-fund scam, his family members had time and again alleged that the party did not bother to enquire about him.
Post his release from prison in 2018, Paul withdrew from active politics and communicated to the TMC his unwillingness to contest elections.
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Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
Bengaluru (PTI): A woman was booked on charges of obstructing a police inspector from discharging his official duties and threatening to commit suicide if he did not accept her love proposal, police said on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old inspector attached to the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station here alleged that the woman repeatedly harassed him, they said.
According to his complaint, the harassment began on October 30, when he started receiving calls from an unknown woman from multiple phone numbers.
During these calls, she allegedly spoke incoherently and claimed to have close links with several highly placed individuals, including the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, Home Minister and other political leaders.
Police said the woman sent photographs via WhatsApp purportedly showing herself with these dignitaries and claimed she could use their influence to compel the inspector to accept her proposal. She also allegedly threatened to use her contacts against him if he refused.
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The inspector said that he advised her to visit the police station and submit a written complaint if she had any grievance. However, she did not do so and instead continued to repeatedly call and send messages, which disturbed his official duties, the FIR said.
According to the FIR, on November 7, the woman allegedly visited his office and handed over an envelope containing some tablets along with handwritten letters. The letters contained emotionally charged and inappropriate content, and the woman claimed they were written using her blood, indicating obsessive behaviour.
Despite being clearly informed that the number she was contacting was an official departmental number meant for public service, she allegedly continued making unnecessary calls and messages, causing mental harassment and obstruction to his day-to-day duties, he alleged.
During the inquiry, police learnt that the woman had allegedly exhibited similar behaviour with other police and government officials in the past, it stated.
On December 12, she allegedly went to his police station and shouted and threatened to commit suicide and ruin the inspector's career if he did not respond to her proposal, prompting him to lodge a complaint.
"Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the woman under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station. The matter is under investigation," police said.
