Ten days after a woman was assaulted by TMC goons for supporting the BJP in Cooch Behar, the Ghoksandanga police directed the victim to submit her clothes for the purpose of ‘investigation’ on Thursday (4th July).
The development was confirmed on social media by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. He shared a notice issued by Senior Inspector Avijit Sarkar of the Ghoksandanga police station to the woman under Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
As per the notice, the victim has been asked to submit her saree, blouse and petticoat (shaya), which she was wearing at the time of the incident, to the police station on Saturday (6th July) at 10 am.
Classic case of Victimising the Victim !
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) July 6, 2024
Just imagine the audacity of Mamata Police.
They are asking the Lady; BJP Minority Morcha Leader, who was completely disrobed, molested & brutally beaten up by TMC goons in Cooch Behar district, to submit the torn clothes which were… pic.twitter.com/m3RWvRH8xC
While slamming the police, Suvendu Adhikari tweeted, “Classic case of Victimising the Victim! Just imagine the audacity of Mamata Police.
They are asking the Lady; BJP Minority Morcha Leader, who was completely disrobed, molested & brutally beaten up by TMC goons in Cooch Behar district, to submit the torn clothes which were forcefully stripped off from her by the perpetrators while executing the heinous crime.”
He emphasised, “When the lady was found by her family members, she was lying unconscious on the ground, almost in a stark naked condition. This has been mentioned clearly in the FIR. In my earlier posts, regarding this incident, I have also raised the issue.”
Suvdendu Adhikari further pointed out, “I had also demanded that the case should be transferred to the CBI so that there is a fair probe, as because the intention of the Police was never to bring the perpetrators to justice, rather protect them. The victim’s only fault is that she is associated with BJP and has worked extensively during the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections.”
“This disgraceful and disgusting act of the Investigating Officer (IO) has only made this clear that the Police is only trying to hound the victim. The IO & the Officer-in-Charge of the Ghoksadanga PS should be immediately suspended for their skewed and biased attitude and the humiliation they have tried to inflict upon the victim,” he concluded.
The Background of the controversy
On 25th June, a woman was stripped, dragged for 1 km by her hair and thrashed for over an hour by goons for supporting the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).
The incident took place in Ruidanga village in Matha Bhanga-II block in Coochbehar district of West Bengal. As per reports, a group of TMC goons attacked the woman for being a worker of the Opposition BJP in the State. The victim’s father had filed a complaint with the police.
According to the police complaint, the local TMC cadre had prevented the woman from stepping out of her house since the Lok Sabha elections were announced on 4th June 2024.
The victim was assaulted when she was en route home from a nearby park. A group of TMC goons attacked her, stripped her and then dumped her clothes in a river.
They had also threatened to break her house if she dared to step out again. The Cooch Behar police had detained 4 people, including the primary accused Shafiqul, in connection to the case.
Shafiqul was accused of capturing the naked picture of the victim during the assault and disseminating it on social media platforms.
