KOLKATA: Two BSF personnel, including an officer of assistant sub-inspector rank, were arrested on Friday night on charges of raping a woman in front of her two-year-old daughter in North 24 Paraganas’ Bagda area.
The accused have been suspended and a court of inquiry has been ordered, said an official of the BSF’s South Bengal frontier.
According to police, the incident took place early on Friday when the woman, with her child, was spotted near the border fencing as she was allegedly entering Bangladesh illegally. ‘’The victim mentioned in his complaint that she was dragged to a nearby field where the crime was committed. The incident came to light after the woman lodged a complaint with us,’’ said an officer of Bagda police station.
The woman underwent medical test and report of the examination is yet to reach the police.
The incident triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
‘’Our country is becoming increasingly UNSAFE for women under @BJP4India’s misrule! Mr @AmitShah, under your watch, BSF officer & jawan raped a woman; threatened her with consequences if she raised her voice. Indeed a shining example of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’!’’ the TMC tweeted.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee repeatedly disapproved the Centre’s decision to extend the BSF’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km from the fencing of the international border.
Responding to TMC’s tweet BJP’s spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya described it unacceptable. ‘’Such comments from the TMC is unacceptable. You cannot malign the entire force because of such isolated incidents. If the incident took place, the guilty persons will be brought to the justice. The law will take its own course if anyone has committed a crime,’’ he said.