North Kolkata chaos: Drunk lawyer assaults Kolkata Police, paraded in ropes to Court amid Durga Puja

In North Kolkata’s bustling Hatibagan area amid Durga Puja, a confrontation unfolds that has sent shockwaves through the city’s legal community. A prominent lawyer, Vivek Jaiswal, and his friend Abhishek Shaw were arrested by Burtolla police for allegedly assaulting and harassing a female police officer near a closed liquor shop. The incident, marked by shouting and physical aggression, has not only raised questions about public behavior but also ignited a fierce debate over police tactics after the accused were brought to Bankshal Court with ropes tied around their waists, a move that sparked outrage among lawyers.

According to police reports, the trouble began when a female officer responded to complaints of a disturbance outside the shuttered liquor shop. Upon arrival, she encountered Jaiswal, a Bankshal Court advocate from Chinar Park, and his friend Abhishek Shaw, both allegedly intoxicated. What started as a routine intervention escalated when the duo reportedly pushed the officer and subjected her to verbal abuse. The two were detained overnight as the incident drew immediate attention.

The drama intensified when Jaiswal and Shaw both were presented at Bankshal Court. Lawyers gasped as the accused stepped out of the police van, ropes conspicuously tied around their waists—a practice many argued was outdated and degrading. Mohammad Ijaz Kasem, representing the duo, condemned the police action, stating, “This is an affront to dignity; no accused should be treated like this in 2025.” The courtyard erupted with protests from fellow advocates, who saw the ropes as a symbolic overreach, turning a legal proceeding into a public spectacle and raising questions about police adherence to modern protocols.

The defense team quickly escalated their response, filing a written complaint with the court and demanding the preservation of CCTV footage from both Burtolla police station and the court premises. “We’ve asked for the videos to be secured to show exactly how this unfolded,” said Mukesh Kumar Pandey, another lawyer for the accused. The court, sensing the gravity of the situation, granted bail to Vivek Jaiswal and Abhishek Shaw scheduling the next hearing for October 8. The decision temporarily diffused tensions, but the legal fraternity remains on edge, awaiting the footage that could clarify the contentious rope incident.

Police officials, however, stood firm on their actions. This clash of narratives has only deepened the divide, with some accusing the police of staging a public shaming to assert authority, while others see the accused’s behavior as indefensible. For their part, Jaiswal and Shaw both now out on bail, paint a different picture. Jaiswal claimed the incident was a misunderstanding, stating, “We were caught in the Durga Puja crowd; an accidental bump was blown out of proportion.” On the other hand Shaw echoed this, alleging the ropes were tied at the station itself, adding to their humiliation. Both denied the assault charges, framing the encounter as a festival-night mishap. As Kolkata grapples with this case, the upcoming October hearing and the requested CCTV footage promise to shed light on a saga that has exposed raw tensions between law enforcement and the legal system.