The circulation of a distressing video showing a violent attack on a couple suspected of being in an unauthorized relationship has caused significant public outcry in West Bengal. The incident occurred in Chopra, Uttar Dinajpur district, and was said to have been authorized by a local ‘salishi sabha’ (Kangaroo court).
Police Investigation :
The West Bengal Police acted by initiating a case after verifying the video’s authenticity. According to a PTI report, Islampur Police Superintendent Joby Thomas K confirmed the commencement of raids to apprehend the main accused and pledged a timely investigation into the motive behind the attack.
Details of Case:
The video depicts a man violently assaulting a woman, resulting in her obvious distress, and also striking another man with a bamboo stick.
Political backlash:
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) were swift to denounce the incident and accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being involved in what they described as “bulldozer justice” under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
“This incident sheds light on the dark side of Mamata Banerjee’s administration in West Bengal. The individual seen in the video, brutally assaulting a woman… is known for delivering swift justice through his ‘insaf’ sabha and has close ties with Chopra MLA Hamidur Rahaman,” stated Amit Malviya, the head of BJP IT Cell, in a social media post.
Malviya asserted that there exists a Sandeshkhali in every village of West Bengal and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a “menace to women”.
“The state of law and order in Bengal is non-existent. Will Mamata Banerjee take action against this perpetrator or will she support him as she did for Sheikh Shahjahan?” questioned Malviya in the post.
Shahjahan is a detained TMC member from Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, where accusations of sexual misconduct and land encroachment have been directed towards Trinamool Congress officials.
JP Nadda from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly criticized the incident, emphasizing, “A disturbing video has surfaced from West Bengal, highlighting the atrocities prevalent in theocratic regimes. To exacerbate the situation, the TMC cadre and MLAs are defending the act. Whether it is Sandeshkhali, Uttar Dinajpur, or numerous other locations, Didi’s West Bengal is not a safe place for women.”
TMC’s response
MLA Hamidur Rahman from the local TMC, on the other hand, refuted any association with the accused and made it clear that he had no involvement in the incident. He emphasized that it was a local issue and had no connection to the party. Kaniyalal Agarwal, the TMC district president, attributed the incident to the alleged illicit relationship of the couple, which was not well-received by the villagers. He mentioned that the party would conduct an investigation into the matter. Shantanu Sen, the TMC spokesperson, denounced the incident while also highlighting that such informal courts were prevalent during the Left Front regime as well.