Raj Bhavan today witnessed dramatic scenes when an 82-year-old man created a pandemonium after his 45-year-old autistic daughter was allegedly manhandled by a policeman posted at the entrance, resulting in injuries to her elbow. A large crowd and a media contingent had gathered outside the Raj Bhavan and the situation was defused only after the Governor’s staff apologised to the senior citizen.

ASI Gautam Nag, who allegedly pushed the autistic woman into her wheelchair injuring her in the process, has been put off-duty and Commissioner of Police Gautam Mohan Chakrabarty has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Arun Kumar Dutta, along with his autistic daughter Tapati, landed at Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi’s residence on Thursday afternoon with a complaint that his daughter had been turned away from Vidyasagar Hospital and Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. “CNMC officials said it was no use admitting my daughter as she would die in three days. I just want to ask the Governor why we have to suffer for getting services we are entitled to,” said Dutta in crisp English.

According to Dutta, who claimed to be a former engineer with the Damodar Valley Corporation and several other government organisations, the incident had occurred three months ago, a month after his wife passed away.

A resident of Behala, the old man said he had come all the way walking with Tapati in a wheelchair to meet the Governor.

Dutta said when he asked to meet the Governor, an argument broke out between him and the policemen posted at the Raj Bhavan entrance after which one of them shoved her daughter into her wheelchair, injuring her on her elbow.

By then, a crowd had gathered and mediapersons also turned up in large numbers. Bystanders said Dutta later became a bit disoriented and started rambling on. The crowd too began to get restive and some of them intervened.

Before thing got out of control, Dutta was finally let inside the Raj Bhavan premises, where resident physician A Bhandari inspected Tapati and said the injury was not serious. She was visibly disturbed after the entire incident.

“When the policeman pushed the old man, we protested. Then, the other policemen threatened to arrest us if we didn’t leave immediately,” said Tuhin Banerji, an LIC employee who was present when the scuffle broke out.

Smita Banerji, who works with a company nearby, said some officers used foul language when she protested. The officials present outside the gates, however, said the police had just tried to shift Tapati to a shaded area.