Bengal Woman Alleges Rape by Panchayat Member, 3 Others for Demanding 'Cut Money' Refund

Kolkata: A woman was allegedly gangraped in North Bengal’s Maynaguri by Panchayat members after she demanded the refund of the 'cut money' that they had taken for getting her a house under a government scheme.

The incident reportedly took place on August 14, but the case was registered on Monday. The woman has named panchayat member Mohammad Bulbul Alam and his acquaintances Zaidul Islam, Jamal Abedin and Afizul Haq for the crime. She had gone to Alam to ask for the 'cut money' of Rs 7,000 that she had paid to become a beneficiary of the Gitanjali Awaas Yojna.

According to the woman, realizing that she would not get the house, she asked Alam for the refund. Alam called her to come to his house to take the money. Other three accused were already at Alam’s house when the woman reached there and was allegedly dragged inside the house. The four men took turns to rape her after covering her face with cloth.

She was threatened with consequences for approaching the police. However, five days later she went to the police with the help of a neighbor. While the medical reports of the woman are awaited, no arrests have been made as the four accused are absconding.

“A complaint has been lodged by the woman and investigations are on,” said Dendup Sherpa, Jalpaiguri Assistant Superintendent of Police.

Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra condemned the incident and said the law will take it’s course. “If this incident has occurred, it is unfortunate. Let the medical report come out. The guilty should be brought to book,” Mitra said.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Chandra Bose lashed out at Mamata Banerjee and demanded her her resignation. “Law and order has gone out of control. It is shameful that a woman was gang-raped for demanding the refund of the 'cut money'. Mamata Banerjee should resign,” Bose said.

In June this year Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked her party workers to return the money taken from people particularly in the rural pockets of Bengal to carry out various welfare schemes. The move, which was meant to clean up TMC’s image of rampant corruption, backfired after widespread protests across Bengal attacking her partymen when they could not return the money. The BJP has been at a war of words with the TMC over the 'cut money' issue.