On Friday (July 21), a disturbing video went viral on social media wherein two women were seen being stripped naked and thrashed by a frenzied mob. The incident reportedly took place on July 19, 2023.
As per a report by TV9 Bangla, the incident took place at Pakuahat in the Malda district of West Bengal. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Bamangola police station.
According to the news outlet, the two women were allegedly caught on suspicion of pickpocketing. They were then surrounded by a mob of angry locals who thrashed the duo black and blue.
This is not #Manipur. This is Malda in Mamata’s #Bengal. pic.twitter.com/kgAX37sQa9
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) July 21, 2023
They tore the sarees of the women and stripped them naked in full public glare. The locals also pulled the hair of the victims and assaulted them with shoes.
The women fought to keep the clothes on their bodies. As seen in the video, none came to the rescue of the women. According to TV9 Bangla, the victims are said to be residents of Manikchak village of Malda.
Reportedly, no complaint has been filed in connection with the case. While speaking about the matter, BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya said that the two women belonged to the tribal community.
The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 22, 2023
The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women… pic.twitter.com/tyve54vMmg
“The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda. The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July,” he informed.
“The women belonged to socially marginalised community and had a frenzied mob baying for her blood…It had all the making of a tragedy that should have ‘broken’ Mamata Banerjee’s heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the Home Minister of Bengal…” Malviya further informed.
“But she chose to do nothing. Neither did she condemn the barbarity nor did she express pain and anguish because it would have exposed her own failing as a Chief Minister. But a day after, she shed copious tears and screamed blue murder, because it was politically expedient…” he added.
According to BJP leader Prem Shukla, the victims belonged to the Dalit community. In a tweet, he said, “Two Dalit women were striped naked by locals at Pakurhat under Bamangola PS, Malda, West Bengal in front of @WBPolice. @MamataOfficial, please take steps.”
“You are concerned about Manipur but our mothers, sisters and daughters are not safe in West Bengal,” he further emphasised.
BJP workers sexually assaulted by TMC goons in West Bengal
On Thursday (July 20), a BJP gram sabha candidate in West Bengal informed that she was physically assaulted, stripped and paraded naked by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party during the panchayat elections.
As per a report by ANI, the incident took place on July 8, 2023, in Dakshin Panchla in the Howrah district of West Bengal. In her official complaint filed with the Panchla police, the victim narrated that the assault was carried out by TMC gram sabha candidate Hemanta Roy at the polling station.
She further added that Roy was accompanied by other 40-50 TMC workers, including Noor Alam, Sanju Das, Ranabir Panja, Sukamal Panja, Alfi Sk. The copy of the First Information Report (FIR), as reported by Republic TV, read, “They hit me on my chest, and head with sticks and pushed me out of the polling booth.”
The victim pointed out that the TMC gram sabha candidate instigated party workers such as Sukamal Panja and Ali Sheikh to tear her saree and inner dress. “They further assaulted me and forced me to undress naked and molested me in front of other people,” she emphasised.
Another complaint filed by a woman candidate of BJP, in Howrah’s Domjur… She was groped and assaulted, by TMC candidate and his agents, inside the counting center on 11th Jul 2023. Mamata Banerjee’s police is still to file an FIR. These are not isolated instances of crimes… pic.twitter.com/EL27FlYY6j
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 21, 2023
On Monday (July 21), BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya informed that a woman candidate of his party was groped and assaulted by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal.
He had shared the screenshot of an online police complaint, filed by the victim wherein she accused two TMC workers, namely Arun Thakur and Shuvankar Malik of sexually assaulting her.
The complaint filed with the Domjur police stated, “This said persons touched the secret part of my body throughout the counting and as well beat me during the counting.”
“As per the guideline of respected High Court a male was not supposed to touch a female, but this said persons continuously beaten me and touched the secret parts of my body which is against law and order,” it added.
The victim said that the assault was orchestrated by TMC Block (Jagatballavpur) President Subir Chatterjee and Dibyendu Chatterjee, TMC President for Makardah-1 Anchal. She also requested to police to analyse the CCTV footage of Room No 2 and Table No 9 (Round 1) in the Domjur counting hall.
“This is also to inform you that we have requested many times verbally to Domjur BDO Gargi Das but she has not taken any satisfactory action against this. Hope you will take necessary action against the said person and will continue with your legal steps against this said persons to save the democracy of India,” the BJP candidate said in her complaint.
