SANDESHKHALI: A day after police added two grave charges—like gangrape and attempt to murder—to a case following a homemaker’s deposition in front of a magistrate of Basirhat court, the asbestos-roof house of the complainant in Sandeshkhali was attacked at Saturday midnight by a group of miscreants wearing police uniform.
The frightened mother of three, who was in hiding since deposing her statement, described the attack as a “spine chilling” warning for narrating the sexual assault on her in front of the magistrate and she fears backlash from her tormentors once the additional police contingent and administrative personnel will leave the North 24 Parganas island.
“I sent my two daughters to my relative’s house. I was in hiding fearing attack for deposing in front of the magistrates accusing Shahjahan’s two henchmen Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar. The youngest daughter was at home with my elderly father-in-law as my husband has also taken refuge in a relative’s house. The attackers in police uniform claimed they were special police personnel from outside. They first dug a hole on the thatched-wall by hitting non-stop and then inserted stick through it to beat my daughter and her grandfather,” the woman said.
Recounting sexual assault on her by Shibaprasad and Uttam, both were arrested by police during the stir in Sandeshkhali over past two weeks, the homemaker said it took place five months ago in the local party office.
“I was asked to go there at night for attending a meeting. I narrated my plights before the magistrate,” she said.
The party office, a five-minute walk from the complainant’s house, wears the wounds on its wall caused by the locals’ ire after the unrest in the TMC’s turf broke out. Angry villagers pelted stones at the structure.
The police said the allegation of attack on the complainant’s house is under investigation.
The arrest of Shibaprasad shortly after the police included two grave IPC section a case related to sexual abuse on women brought smile back on the faces of locals.
Gautam Das, who identified as a TMC supporter, was seen distributing sweets among traders, drivers in Rajbari market.
AIBA cautions about President’s Rule in WB
The All India Bar Association (AIBA) has written to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cautioning about demands of a President’s Rule in the state after it witnessed horrific incidents of sexual assault and violence in Sandeshkhali. AIBA Chairman and Senior Advocate Dr Adish C Aggarwala has also condemned the incident and the lackadaisical approach of the West Bengal Police and authorities.
