There stood, on the fringes of south Kolkata, an old sprawling 2-storeyed house which was home to eight to nine families of tenants and the landlady. Over the years, the families of the tenants and the landlady had come close to each other and shared a warmth and togetherness that lasted through thick and thin.
However, with the passage of time came the inevitable expansion of Kolkata. One of the components of this expansion was the start of construction of the Metro Railway project close to this house. This activity consequently enhanced the commercial value of the area around the house, which attracted the attention of the landlady and a local real estate promoter. With huge profits expected, the landlady and the promoter planned to remove the present residents, demolish the old two storied house and build a multi-storied complex in its place, without giving any consideration to the plight of the families that resided in the house. The eviction process began with the conventional serving of notices to the tenants to vacate the premises but this proved to be ineffective in the face of resistance from the tenants. Realising that unconventional and drastic methods are required, the promoter and the landlady resorted to stopping the power and water supply and withdrawal of all other services availed by the tenants. However, the tenants continued their resistance and started depositing their rent with the Rent Control Board. The only option left now with the landlady and the promoter was to intimidate the tenants and force them to leave.
In connivance with the local Police Station, a 10 year old boy named Pailan, son of a tenant, was falsely accused of rape of a 6 year old girl, daughter of a co-tenant and friend of the boy. Pailan was arrested, put behind bars and his family along with other tenants were terrorized by the combined actions of the landlady, the promoter and his cronies. With a passive Police force providing no help to the victims, Pailan’s family was finally compelled to leave their premises and shift to a nearby slum. Meanwhile, Pailan’s case was taken up in court where, after initial delay in proceedings and oversight, the defence succeeded in making the Honourable Judge realize the truth about Pailan’s innocence, after due consideration given to the case facts and the medical report submitted. The guilty officials were reprimanded and Pailan was acquitted of the false charges with honour.
But the question remains: Will the verdict ever be able to restore that innocence and pride of childhood that Pailan has been robbed off?
