Bengal raises funds, a park in Bapi Sen’s name

A supercyclone, earthquake, Kargil’s martyrs and Sergeant Bapi Sen. The Kolkata Police sergeant, who died while protesting against eve-...

A supercyclone, earthquake, Kargil’s martyrs and Sergeant Bapi Sen. The Kolkata Police sergeant, who died while protesting against eve-teasing, is being given a ranking at par with national catastrophes and martyrs as donations for his family pour in from the rich and poor, companies and clubs, turf clubs and trusts.

Sen was battered into a coma on New Year’s eve by fellow policemen in mufti who were out painting the town red — and eve-teasing. When he finally died on January 6, hundreds of people from all walks of life turned up to view his body before it was taken for cremation.

Now, people from as far away as Mumbai are calling up to find out where they should send their cheques. Neighbourhood ‘‘clubs’’ are raising funds, a leading English daily here has launched a Bapi Sen Memorial Fund, and corporates, trusts and individuals are queuing up to help out his family. Never mind that there is no tax deduction available for the donations as is the case with funds for cyclones, earthquakes and Kargil.

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While a Mumbai businessman wants to send a cheque, officers and constables of Kolkata Police have already collected Rs 3 lakh. The government-owned National Insurance Company, which handles the Kolkata Police account, has handed over the final payment cheque for Rs 2 lakh in record time.

The money is either going straight to Sen’s family or being handed over to Kolkata Police or sent to the memorial fund launched by the English daily.

The Kolkata Police has got Rs 5 lakh — Rs 3 lakh from its rank and file and Rs 2 lakh from the insurance company. ‘‘We will hand over all the money after the shradh ceremony on January 19,’’ DCP, Traffic police, M.K. Singh told reporters.

The Birla Seva Trust, trustee of the Birla-owned hospital where Sen fought for his life and died, has given Rs 1 lakh. More modest contributions are coming in from Kolkata’s ‘‘clubs’’ or associations of local boys. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is taking steps to immortalise Sen’s name.

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A park will be named after the sergeant, Mayor Subrata Mukherjee has announced. ‘‘I have proposals — one from MP Sudip Bandopadhyay and the other from Mayor-in-Council Shovan Chattopadhyay — to name parks in Sen’s name and we are considering them,’’ Mukherjee said.

Dona Ganguly, wife of Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, said she too is ready to help the family. ‘‘If I see that the family is in distress, I will definitely help them out,’’ said Dona, who lives in the same locality where Sen’s family stays.

Another promise came from Pinky Dutta, Mrs India Photogenic and a leading figure in modelling circles. ‘‘I will organise a fund-raising in our circle,’’ said Pinky. The police have so far listed nine witnesses for the case but has failed to trace the girl at the heart of the matter. The police have made several public appeals to the girl to come forward to testify and have circulated sketchy portraits but she has stayed away.