Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: Residents of Madhyamgram town in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal vandalised the local police station and blockaded traffic on National Highway 34 between Indo-Bangladesh border and Kolkata on Saturday after two civic volunteers of the state police allegedly beat a motorbike rider to death for refusing to pay a hefty sum as fine for not wearing helmet.

The civic volunteers hid in a public toilet to escape from being lynched by an angry mob. Sources revealed that the accused slipped through the window of the toilet and are still at large. A large contingent of Rapid Action Force and additional police led by senior officers were deployed in Madhyamgram to bring back peace in the area.

The incident occurred when 40-year-old Soumen Debnath was stopped by two civic volunteers at Madhyamgram Chowmatha on Saturday morning for not wearing a helmet. The civic volunteers allegedly demanded a hefty sum of money which Debnath, a businessman by profession, refused to pay.

Sources revealed that the two civic volunteers started beating up Debnath on the chest until he fell on the ground. The accused then fled the spot and hid in a public toilet. The local passersby admitted the victim to Madhyamgram rural hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Locals alleged that the civic volunteers have been arbitrarily demanding hefty sums of money from truck-drivers, auto-rickshaw drivers and two-wheeler riders for any violation of the traffic rules but did not give them any receipts when demanded.

“The government rate of fine for not wearing a helmet is Rs 100 and that the money needs to be paid in bank and not to the traffic police. But, the civic volunteers never accept money lesser than Rs 500 for any violation,” said a protester Bikram Mondal.

“Who has given them the right to beat up defaulters? We want immediate arrest of the accused civic volunteers,” said another protester Rajesh Das.