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Sandeshkhali unrest: Police register second FIR on gang rape charges
The village has been on the boil since February 8 after several women levelled serious allegations of sexual assault by TMC strongman Sheikh Shajahan and his aides
Kolkata: The West Bengal Police have registered a second first information report (FIR) in the Sandeshkhali case on allegations of gang rape following a complaint from a woman who filed her statement before a judicial magistrate against the two Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, officials familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
On Saturday, police initiated charges of gang rape under section 376d against two TMC leaders– Uttam Sardar and Shibaprasad Hazra. The second FIR has been registered against Hazra and his two aides – Amir Ali Gaji and Bhanu Mondol, police said.
Hazra, one of the prime accused in the case of alleged land grab and sexual harassment case, was arrested on Saturday and is now in police custody, while Sardar was arrested earlier this month.
Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district, has become the latest flashpoint between the chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The village has been on the boil since February 8 after several women levelled serious allegations of sexual assault by TMC strongman Sheikh Shajahan and his aides.
Shajahan has been on the run ever since his supporters attacked Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5, who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam probe.
Villagers have alleged that the TMC leader and his associates grabbed their lands forcefully and turned them into fish farms.
Meanwhile, West Bengal director general and inspector general of police Rajeev Kumar along with other senior officials, including senior IPS officer Supratim Sarkar, ADG (South Bengal) and HM Rehman, Basirhat district superintendent of police, visited the riot-hit areas of Sandeshkhali amid the prevailing situation in the area.
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“Earlier during the day, he visited some of the areas in Sandeshkhali and spoke to the villagers and civic police volunteers who are posted in the villages. He also held a meeting with senior officials at Sandeshkhali police station,” a police officer aware of the development said.
Police on Tuesday had clamped fresh prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in 12 pockets of Sandeshkhali.
“We have also installed around 10 CCTV cameras in five places. Large police contingents are still deployed in the villages. We are reviewing the situation. The pockets where prohibitory orders have been imposed will be brought own soon,” said another district officer.
