A woman was allegedly gangraped in Howrah on Saturday, which has now snowballed into a major political issue in West Bengal as the victim is the wife of a BJP worker, and the two accused men named in the FIR belong to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Two men, Jayanal Mallik and Sheikh Shahid, were arrested in connection with the alleged crime, which took place in the Bagnan area, in Amta Assembly constituency, Howrah district. The victim’s husband, however, claimed that police have arrested people not named in the FIR, and are taking “lenient action” against TMC leaders, who have been named in the FIR — Qutubuddin and Debashish Rana.
“My wife has not been keeping well for the last one-and-a-half years. Now, she is in a state of trauma because of the rape incident. In my FIR I mentioned the names of Qutubuddin and Debashish but instead of arresting them, the local police picked up two other persons who are not named in the FIR,” he said.
A police source said the alleged accused reached the victim’s house and knocked on her door on the day of the incident. Thinking it was her husband, she opened the door, and was overpowered by the men, they said.
She was rushed to the Uluberia Sub-Divisional Hospital for treatment and her condition is said to be critical.
State BJP leaders alleged she was raped in an act of revenge because her husband is an active party worker.
Later in the day, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Dr Archana Majumdar, from BJP’s medical wing, met the victim at the hospital and assured her all assistance.
“I met her and I don’t have words to explain the kind of ordeal she went through. She was crying but could not say anything out of trauma. She is not getting proper treatment here and tomorrow we will shift her to a private hospital for better medical care. Our first priority is to save the victim,” Adhikari told the media.
“It is shocking that no action was taken against those accused in the FIR; Qutubuddin and Debashish. The police are sheltering the real culprit and arrested those who were not named in the FIR. How can you expect justice from the superintendent of police whose wife is a TMC MLA in Howrah? Tomorrow, we are approaching the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and are ready to take this matter to all levels. We will fight the case in Court and if required we will approach the Supreme Court to ensure justice to the victim,” he said.
BJP Mahila Morcha president and MLA, Asansol South, Agnimitra Paul too condemned the incident and demanded a high-level probe into the matter.
Meanwhile, BJP tweeted, “’Khela hocche’, TMC is playing with the pride of women! Woman gang-raped because she was supporting the opposition party! This is how women and democracy suffered under the TMC rule. Is this the fate of Bengal?”
TMC MLA, Amta, Sukanta Kumar Paul condemned the incident and said adequate action will be taken against the accused.
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