Hindu girl gang-raped in Sandeshkhali

Tortures on Hindus soar; administration gutless, voiceless

On April 28, at 2 am, a band of robbers, headed by Osman Mollah, raided the residence of a tribal Hindu businessman (of paddy) and demanded a large amount of money and when he failed to comply with, his adolescent daughter Ratna (name changed) was taken as hostage but found gang-raped later on. This gruesome incident took place at Jhupkhali Kacharipara within the jurisdiction of Sandeshkhali police station in Basirhat subdivision in the district of North 24 Paraganas. Osman is the son of Mochiyer Rahman Mollah of the same Jhupkhali village.

It has come to knowledge, the attack was premeditated and this can be found from a few facts. The gang had definite information that the hapless girl’s father had brought Rs. 70, 000 to the residence while the reality is that he had Rs. 20, 000 on hand after paying the stockist an amount of Rs. 50, 000. The robbers, to have the money, were wielding lethal weapons and once the gang forayed the tribal family’s residence, the amount of Rs 70, 000 was demanded. When the household failed to pay, they were thrashed brutally; two water pumps, a wardrobe were also crushed. Gold jewelries were also stolen. At this time, the felons focused on Ratna and took her as hostage. They also asked her parents to pay Rs. 50, 000 to retrieve their daughter. Despite being panic-stricken initially, the couple raised an alarm soon making their neighbors rush to the residence. An intense search for Ratna initiated and she was found both unconscious and nude in a little while. She was admitted to the local Khulna hospital and was transferred to the Basirhat hospital later on. According to the statement of Ratna, she identified one among six rapists.      

The incident has triggered uproar and the situation there, if truth be told, is grave. It has also been learnt from sources that police took Osman, fiery activist of Trinamool Congress and confidant of Shahjahan Sheikh, notorious deputy-head of Agarati Sarberia, into custody on April 30. Shahjahan Sheikh, till a couple of years ago, was regarded as a gem for CPIM and Hindus, in the area, has been persecuted by this individual and his henchmen through years. Osman was also a brawny Left activist in the heydays of Left Front and with the change of guard in Bengal’s political scenario, both Shahjahan and Osman have switched over to Trinamool Congress and soon they have become trusted lieutenants of the party. And all these prove that the saga of persecution on Hindus remains unchanged.

Even if Hindus are found to be highly aggrieved on the incident, they remain inactive due to preponderance of Shahjahan and Osman’s cadres in the area. Hindus are being tortured, according to latest reports, and lots of them have been injured also while the police seems to be indifferent and is witnessing the event from a safe distance. None has the courage to take injured Hindus to local hospitals.   

The question remains when the local administration will crack down on these criminals and let the law take its own course. If it fails to take place, rape of law and order in Bengal will take place once more.

Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.