A Trinamool Congress (TMC) Panchayat Samiti member has been accused of kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach, leading to her miscarriage. The incident took place in the Tengri Danga area in Shantipur town in Nadia district of West Bengal.
As per a report in ETV Bangla, the accused has been identified as Anwar Hossain Mandal. A complaint has been filed with the police by the victim’s family. Anwar has threatened to kill the family members of the victim after learning that they have filed a police complaint against him.
Citing local sources, ETV Bangla reported that the accused is the owner of a local brick kiln. A native of Gayeshpur in Nadia, Anwar had issued a fatwa restricting a woman named Sulekha Khatun from visiting her parents’ home in the neighbouring village.
Khatun, who had been living in the Tengri Danga area ever since her marriage 7 years ago, refused to abide by his diktat. She is a housewife by occupation. An enranged Anwar then laid siege on her paternal house on the night of April 17, 2022.
While speaking about the matter to ETV Bangla, the victim’s elder brother Badshah Sheikh informed, “We are also associated with the TMC. To exert his political influence, Anwar and his men came to our house. At that time, only my mother and sister were at home. My pregnant sister was kicked in the abdomen. After being admitted to the hospital for 3 days, she suffered a miscarriage.”
“We had therefore filed a complaint with the police on Friday (April 22). On that very night at around 12:30 am, Anwar Hossian and his men broke into the house and vandalised it. They also fired gunshots and hurled bombs. We somehow managed to survive. We had to file another complaint with the police.”
As per a report in Anandabazar Patrika, the TMC leader had instilled a sense of fear among the residents of the Tengri Danga area. The victim’s father Mannan Sheikh informed, “Even during the Holy month of Ramzan, I am unable to enter my house due to the terror (perpetrated by Anwar Hossain Mandal).”
It has also come to light that the accused would also threaten his fellow party workers. “If we don’t listen to his orders, then, he intimidates us with threats of filing fake cases,” recounted fellow TMC leader Joydeb Biswas.
Son of TMC leader accused of rape and murder in Nadia
Earlier on April 4 this year, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed in the Shyamnagar locality in Hanskhali Block Number- I in Nadia district of West Bengal. The accused was named as one Brajgopal, the son of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Gajna Gram Panchayat member Samar Gowla.
Reportedly, the accused had invited the victim to his house under the pretext of birthday celebrations. The girl became unwell, following which she was rushed to a local doctor. She passed away the following day.
According to the family members of the victim, the girl died due to excessive bleeding. They alleged that she was raped by the son of the TMC leader. The family members also claimed that the TMC leader Samar Gowla and other party workers forcibly cremated the girl’s body at a local crematorium.
The incident had created political upheaval in the State, with the TMC supremo and incumbent CM Mamata Banerjee trying to trivialise allegations of rape and murder made by the victim’s family.
