Nagpur woman bashes neighbour's head with pestle over CCTV camera row; assault case filed

Nagpur: A dispute between two neighbouring women over whom a CCTV camera was watching turned violent, with one woman attacking the other on the head with a mortar and pestle and leaving her bleeding. After the matter reached the police, a case of assault has been registered against the accused woman.

Sangita and Ankita (both fictitious names) live as neighbours in the same apartment building. Sangita is in a dispute with her husband, who lives elsewhere. Sangita's husband is said to have installed a CCTV camera at the door of the house. Seeing the direction of the camera, Ankita, who lives next door, suspected that it had been put up to keep watch on those coming to and going from her home. The two had been at loggerheads over this for several days.

As the dispute escalated, it reached the police station. After hearing both sides, the police asked Sangita to change the direction of the camera. Sangita agreed at the police station, but began stalling once she got home. Under pressure from Ankita, Sangita removed the CCTV camera.

On learning of this, Sangita's husband came to the apartment on the morning of October 25. He asked Ankita what the problem with the CCTV camera was. During an argument between the two, Sangita also jumped in. Hurling abuses, she attacked Ankita with a grinding pestle and split her head open.

The incident caused a stir in the apartment building. Ankita was taken to Mayo Hospital. On her complaint, the police have registered a case of assault.

The CCTV camera has become the talking point among the residents of the apartment building. People say that a trivial matter has been blown out of proportion because of it.