Shahzadpur Correspondent:

A case has been filed against 10 officials and employees, including the custodian, for allegedly beating and molesting a couple visiting the Kachari Bari of the Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore in Shahjadpur of Sirajganj district.

The case was filed in the Shahjadpur Administrative Court on Thursday last by Sabrina Akhter Sweety, wife of Shahnewaz of Rooppur Notunpara village in Shahjadpur upazila.

Confirming the matter, court clerk Anwar Hossain said, “The court has accepted the case and asked Detective Branch (DB) of police in Sirajganj to submit an investigation report in this regard.

The accused in the case are: Habibur Rahman, Custodian of Shahjadpur Rabindra Kachari Bari, Director of the Library Sharifuzzaman Sarkar, Director of Electricity and Garden Sirajul Islam, Gardener Shafiqul Islam, Director of Garden and Counter Mojibur Rahman, Security Guard Abdul Momin, Nuhu Sheikh, son of Aziz Sheikh of Kangla Kanda village in Shahjadpur upazila, Bablu Sarkar of Hadal village in Faridpur district, Anisur Rahman of Aminpur village in Pabna district and Rezaul of Jogendranagar village in Gurudaspur village of Natore district. All the accused are serving at Rabindra Kachari Bari in Shahzadpur.

According to the case statement, “The plaintiff of the case Sabrina Akhter Sweety along with her husband Shahnewaz and nephew Borhan Sarkar went to visit Rabindra Kachari Bari on June 8 with a motorcycle. As per the rules, the counter director accepted tickets’ money from them, when they entered into the inside with their motorbike, but he did not give any token to them. The plaintiff of the case along with other associates entered into the Kachari Bari premises with good faith and visited the monuments with joy and very much enthusiasm. But, the defendants engaged in altercation with them seeking back of token from the plaintiff and her associates during their leaving at around 6:00 pm.

As the plaintiff of the case claimed that, no token was given to them after taking money, the defendants abused them in foul language. At one stage of the altercation, the accused beat them mercilessly after confining in the custodian’s room. They also snatched mobile phones and other valuables from their possessions.

When the incident came to light, Shahnewaz’s relatives went to the spot, rescued them and took him to Potazia Health Complex for primary treatment.

Although, a written complaint was also submitted to the Shahjadpur Police Station, police did not take any action in this regard. Due to this, filing the case in the court was also delayed, complainant stated.

After the incident, locals formed a human chain and brought out procession demanding justice against the custodian of the Kachari Bari over the incident. Some people from that march entered into the Kachari Bari and vandalized the auditorium and custodian’s room. Later, the custodian filed a case accusing 40-50 persons mentioning the names of 10 people.

Earlier this, the concerned administration formed two separate probe bodies and called upon an indefinite strike of the Kachari Bari for the visitors. As the matter created huge discussion and criticism centering news-reports of various media, the administration reopened it after two days of the closure.