In the heart of South Kolkata's bustling Prince Anwar Shah Road, what started as a trendy cafe has spiraled into a shocking den of illegal hookah sessions and shady dealings, igniting a fierce confrontation that left an elderly security guard battered and both sides pointing fingers in fury. Local residents had long whispered complaints about the spot at 188/14, Prince Anwarshah Road where renters Julian and Simran transformed a balcony into a cafe four months ago—only for it to a become a hotspot for antisocial activities under the cover of a cafe.
House owner Atikur Rahman, fed up after repeated ignored warnings from local neighbours. Tensions boil over when the adjacent building's security guard dared to question the suspicious late-night foot traffic, which leads to beating up the security by the workers of the hookah parlour hidden behind a cafe. The incident unfolded like, the security guard post noticing several people coming to the cafe, he confronted the cafe staffs only to be allegedly set upon in a rage-fueled attack that left him injured. In a whirlwind of counter-claims, the cafe's female staff—pouring their life savings into this dream venture—accuses landlond Rahman of storming in, dragging them onto the street, yanking their hair, and unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches in a humiliating public spectacle.
The wounded elderly guard and the cafe owners have rushed to Lake Police Station, filing dueling complaints of assault, wrongful restraint. Kolkaya Police jumped into action with a full investigation, probing the web of allegations from illegal operations to outright violence, but the incident underscores a darker underbelly in Kolkata's vibrant neighborhoods.