Pyar kiya, acid attack ya rape toh nahin kiya, says obsessive stalker

A CCTV grab shows Subroto Bhattacharya in the psychiatrist's building in June 2018 when he rang the doorbell and fled when she opened the door

A serial stalker has been held by Juhu police for sending a well-known psychiatrist countless explicit messages and stalking her for the fourth time since 2011, the year when he first met her. The 43-year-old woman registered an FIR against Subroto Bhattacharya on Wednesday.

On June 6, 2018, the woman had submitted a written complaint when Bhattacharya, 37, and his friend rang her doorbell and fled.

In the latest incident, the psychiatrist and her sister were walking inside a Juhu park, when she noticed a man hugging a coconut tree. "We were at a distance from the coconut tree. I could see someone hugging the tree; his head would turn to the right and then left after looking at us. The moment we reached near the tree, Bhattacharya came in front of us and told me, 'Sath do, hath do'," the psychiatrist told mid-day.

The psychiatrist submitted a written complaint at Juhu police station after Subroto Bhattacharya rang her doorbell and fled

Bhattacharya tried to flee but was caught by the security guard. "When people questioned his actions, he said: 'maine pyar kiya hai, koi gunaah nahi; acid attack ya phir rape to nahin kiya na'," the woman said.

She called the police control room and engaged him in a discussion while they came, "The police took nearly 20 minutes to arrive."

The psychiatrist told mid-day that Bhattacharya used to visit her clinic as a Medical Representative (MR) of a pharmaceutical company in early 2011. "One day he told me he is depressed and asked if I can treat him. While telling me this, he underlined that he cannot afford the expenses. So I agreed to treat him free of cost as he also belongs to the medical field," she said.

"Later, he spotted me at the residence of an astrologer who apparently provoked Bhattacharya to pursue me for marriage in a bid to improve his standard of living and lifestyle," the woman said.

"I don't remember the exact date but Bhattacharya had the audacity to approach me with his proposal and I flatly refused. A person should understand that if a lady is saying no, it means no. He must not stalk her after getting a negative response," she said.

Undeterred, Bhattacharya began sending her lewd messages, ghazals, etc. late at night. His messages include: 'Aap meri sita maiyya hain, aap mere sir pe haath rakh do', 'Tum meri kiran ho', 'ek chutki sindoor', etc.

One day, the woman reached home to find Bhattacharya and his mother waiting for her. The duo was let in by the woman's parents who did not know of the harassment. "The moment I entered my house, I saw them sitting inside. He told me that he has come with his mother to convince me to marry him. That time, I literally raised my shoe at him and told him to leave my house immediately. He is not mentally ill. He has been asked by the astrologer to pursue me and that is what he has been doing," she added.

The psychiatrist submitted a copy of nearly 300 messages with the first FIR in March 2011. Bhattacharya was arrested then and released on bail.

Bhattacharya, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, is currently unemployed and lives alone in Vile Parle in a rented apartment.

The psychiatrist also claimed that Bhattacharya is a master of disguise. "Once I was going to ISKCON temple with my sister and noticed someone following me. We noticed Bhattacharya got his head tonsured and was dressed like an ISKCON follower," she said.

An officer attached to Juhu police station said, "So far, four FIRs and one complaint have been registered against him. But he is not willing to mend his ways. We are taking strong preventive measures against the accused this time, so that he may not repeat the same offence."

"We also externed Bhattacharya for a year, but he repeated his crime on Wednesday and was arrested," the officer said.

4 FIRS filed at Juhu police station

March 23, 2011 First FIR under Section 509 (Insulting the modesty of a woman) of IPC

May 1, 2012 Second FIR under Sections 509, 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of IPC

January 24, 2015 Third FIR under Sections 354 (Outrage a woman's modesty), 509 of IPC and Section 66 (E) (Violation of privacy) of IT Act

June 6, 2018 Written complaint

February 18, 2020 Fourth FIR under Sections 354 (D) (stalking), 509, 506 of IPC and Section 66 (E) of IT Act.

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