Kolkata: Days after a woman para-teacher and her sister were brutally assaulted by TMC leaders in Bengal’s South Dinjapur district, a septuagenarian woman committed suicide after being humiliated by a BJP panchayat leader in North Dinjapur district.
The incident took place on January 29, 2020 when the victim Minati Mandal (70) was summoned to appear before a kangaroo court allegedly for stealing few onions from a local farm field.
According to Superintendent of Police, North Dinajpur, Sumit Kumar, Minati was humiliated and tortured. “There are allegations that she was tied with a lamp post allegedly for stealing some onions. We have received a complaint and are investigating the matter.”
When contacted Minati’s daughter Bina Rani Sarkar said, “The deputy head of panchayat, Noni Gopal Mandal summoned my husband Subrata to appear before the Kangaroo court. My husband went there and found my mother tied to a lamp post in front of entire village. The panchayat members told my husband that my mother has stolen onions from a local farm and she needs to pay Rs 14,000 as a fine.”
“My mother was assaulted and pleaded for mercy but her pleas fall on deaf ears. My husband requested them to release her but she refused saying that she may escape without paying the penalty. Later, after being convinced by my husband that we will try to arrange the money within a week, they released my mother. Since then my mother went into depression and on February 2, 2020, she hanged herself to death. I have lodged a complaint with the Kaliagunj police station and want stern action against the accused persons,” she added, recalling the horrifying tale.
Following the incident, local TMC leaders took out protest rallies in the districts against the BJP leader.
This incident comes after a recently chilling video, which did rounds on social media, showcased a woman para-teacher and her sister being brutally assaulted; their legs were tied with a rope before being dragged for 30 meters by alleged TMC panchayat leaders in Nandanpur village in South Dinjapur district.
The assault on the two sisters took place on January 31, 2020 around 11 AM when panchayat pradhan leaders of the TMC identified as Amal Sarkar, Govinda Sarkar, Ujjwal Sarkar, Ratan Sarkar and Tapan Sil arrived at victim’s Nandanpur village with a bulldozer for expansion of a road.
Trouble arrived when the panchayat leaders told Smritikona Das (the para teacher) and her older sister Soman Das that they have to do away with a portion of land for the expansion of the road. The sisters objected that how come they suddenly come with bulldozer to grab their land without any prior notice.
This irked the panchayat leaders and in a fit of rage one of the gram panchayat leaders Amal Sarkar roughed up the sisters and later other leaders joined him in assaulting them. They grabbed Smritikona’s arms and kicked her. She fell on the road and then they tied her legs with a rope and dragged her nearly 30 meters.
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