Kolkata: A dispute over vehicle parking escalated into a violent confrontation in east Kolkata’s Tangra area late Tuesday night, leaving three members of a single family seriously injured and sparking fresh security concerns amid a heightened election atmosphere.The incident, which occurred around 9:15 p.m. at Pulin Khatik Road, reportedly saw a mob of nearly two dozen men descend upon the victims’ residence, wielding iron rods and blades in an attack that local residents described as an act of “revenge.”The conflict originated when Vikram Khatik, a resident who habitually parks his car in front of his house, discovered that another individual, a neighbour, had forcibly occupied the spot. What began as a verbal altercation over the parking space quickly spiralled out of control.Within minutes, a large group of neighbourhood associates reportedly mobilised to assault Vikram and his family. The victims, identified as Vikram Khatik, Sabitri Khatik and Sunny Khatik, sustained grievous injuries during the melee and were rushed to NRS Medical College and Hospital for emergency treatment.Beyond the physical assault, the attackers allegedly went on a rampage, causing extensive structural damage to the family’s home and leaving the premises vandalised.The gravity of the incident has been compounded by allegations of political infighting and criminal negligence.Preeti Khatik, Vikram’s wife, alleged that the primary aggressors are local political workers associated with the ruling party, despite the victims themselves being known supporters of the same party. She further claimed that the attackers are involved in the illicit trade of marijuana and narcotics in the Tangra belt.According to the family, previous complaints regarding these activities were lodged with the local police station, but they expressed deep dissatisfaction with the official response, alleging that their grievances were dismissed or ignored by investigators prior to this escalation.The Trinamool Congress has dismissed the claims of the attack being linked to politics. “Attempts to defame our party will be dealt legally. An act of personal enmity should not see the party being dragged in it,” stated a local Trinamool functionary.The Khatik family reportedly claimed to have received death threats following the attack, with Vikram pleading for police protection against what he describes as an imminent threat to his life. While the Tangra police station has initiated a formal case following a written complaint naming 12 primary suspects, the atmosphere in the neighbourhood remains volatile.Senior officials from the Kolkata Police are reportedly monitoring the situation to ensure that the parking dispute does not evolve into a larger communal or political flashpoint as the polls approach. No arrests have been officially confirmed yet, but raids are underway to apprehend the ringleaders of the mob.
