West Bengal: Mute woman gang-raped near village fair, one held

KOLKATA: A mute woman was gang-raped by four persons when she visited a local fair in Patrasayer in Bankura district of West Bengal. The incident occurred when a neighbourhood woman took the victim to a local village fair on the occasion of 'Ulta Rath' on Sunday evening.

However, the woman returned alone after losing contact with the victim in the rush at the fair. Later at night, the victim's father, a daily wager, heard that his daughter was found at a bamboo grove.

"My daughter indicated through sign language that she had been tied up and gang-raped. Upon asking the name of the perpetrator, she wrote the name of Shyamsundar Khanra of Moukuchi village. I summoned Shyamsundar to our house that very night and he confessed his crime and gave the names of the remaining accused whom we also summoned. As soon as my daughter identified them, the accused fled from the village," the victim's father said. The victim's father lodged a police complaint on Monday and accused Shyamsundar Khanra was arrested on Tuesday from Moukuchi village.

"We have recovered liquor bottles from the bamboo grove and have arrested one person. A manhunt has been launched for the remaining accused. The victim's family has demanded police protection from the accused which will be provided to them," Bishnupur SDPO Sukamal Kanti Das said.

A case has been lodged under Indian Penal Code Sections pertaining to gangrape and physical assault. The accused was produced in Bishnupur dub-divisional court on Wednesday and police was awarded three-day custody of the accused.

The victim's statement has been recorded and her medical tests were done. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that a group of local Trinamool Congress leaders barged into Patrasayer Police Station on Monday evening and forced the victim's family to withdraw the complaint and threatened to kill them if they did not withdraw the complaint.

However, Patrasayer TMC block core committee member Naba Pal said: "These are baseless allegations. We also want that the accused be punished."