KOLKATA: Two probe teams – of West Bengal Police and National Commission for Women (NCW) – that visited Sandeshkhali on Tuesday received complaints from local women: of land grab, physical assault, harassment, non-payment of dues, molestation, threats and intimidation, but none of rape or sexual abuse.
Charges of land grab, assault, harassment, non-payment of dues and two instances of molestation were made in four written complaints received by a 10-member police team led by DIG CID Soma Das Mitra.Complaints of threats and intimidation were received by NCW team.
Police team visited pockets of Sandeshkhali’s block II, from where local women had launched protest against Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan’s aides, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra.
“Strict action will be taken after complaints are heard in detail and verified,” said Das Mitra. “While talking to local women, we tried our best to build up their confidence. We asked them to lodge complaints confidently whenever they face any kind of crime. The complainant will not have to face any legal hassle.”
A resident, who spoke to the cops earlier, told TOI that Sandeshkhali police had refused to take down any complaint from them for over three years.
“During programmes organised by Trinamool Congress, we have, on numerous occasions, been forcibly taken to the party office or farms of party leaders at night and made to perform menial tasks. We were locked inside until the programme was over. When we protested, we were assaulted by the party’s henchmen,” she said.
Shalini Singh, legal counsellor who was part of a two-member NCW team that visited on Tuesday, said the women they spoke to named Shahjahan, Sardar and Hazra as “masterminds”. “We received specific complaints from the women alleging torture, but did not receive any complaint of sexual assault or sexual violence. It seems the women fear backlash,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, BJP supporters clashed with police over violence in Sandeshkhali, with party’s Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar leading a protest at Basirhat.
Charges of land grab, assault, harassment, non-payment of dues and two instances of molestation were made in four written complaints received by a 10-member police team led by DIG CID Soma Das Mitra.Complaints of threats and intimidation were received by NCW team.
Police team visited pockets of Sandeshkhali’s block II, from where local women had launched protest against Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan’s aides, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra.
“Strict action will be taken after complaints are heard in detail and verified,” said Das Mitra. “While talking to local women, we tried our best to build up their confidence. We asked them to lodge complaints confidently whenever they face any kind of crime. The complainant will not have to face any legal hassle.”
A resident, who spoke to the cops earlier, told TOI that Sandeshkhali police had refused to take down any complaint from them for over three years.
“During programmes organised by Trinamool Congress, we have, on numerous occasions, been forcibly taken to the party office or farms of party leaders at night and made to perform menial tasks. We were locked inside until the programme was over. When we protested, we were assaulted by the party’s henchmen,” she said.
Shalini Singh, legal counsellor who was part of a two-member NCW team that visited on Tuesday, said the women they spoke to named Shahjahan, Sardar and Hazra as “masterminds”. “We received specific complaints from the women alleging torture, but did not receive any complaint of sexual assault or sexual violence. It seems the women fear backlash,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, BJP supporters clashed with police over violence in Sandeshkhali, with party’s Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar leading a protest at Basirhat.
