Bankura: Hindu villagers protest alleged Police inaction after college student molested by Muslims.

WB: Alleged Molestation of Hindu College Girl by Muslim Rowdies Creates Tension in Bankura’s Beliatore.

Shibani Das Dutta | HENB | Bankura | Sept 11, 2024:: An alleged molestation incident involving a Hindu college student sparked widespread tension in the Beliatore police station area of Bankura overnight. According to reports, three Muslim youths on a motorcycle molested a Hindu girl, a local college student, while she was walking with her aunt near the village on Monday afternoon. The attackers fled the scene, abandoning their bike, after villagers rushed to the girl’s aid upon hearing her screams. Later, when two accomplices of the suspects returned to retrieve the bike, they were apprehended by the villagers. Following the incident, police from the Beliatore station arrived at Bandarguda village, but faced resistance from protesters who alleged that the police have ties with the perpetrators, whom they claim are associated with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s touted “Dudhel Gai” (Milking cows) initiative.

Amidst widespread national and international outrage over the heinous rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor from RG Kar, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attempts to present herself as a champion of justice by introducing the ‘Aparajita anti-rape bill’ in the state assembly, the alarming rate of such incidents against girls and women remains unabated, obscured by political maneuvering.

According to local sources, on Monday afternoon, the victim college student went for a walk with her aunt, a local housewife, on a road near the village. As they walked a short distance from the village, three young men on a motorcycle suddenly approached them on a deserted stretch of road. The trio stopped their bike and requested the college student’s phone number. When she refused, they allegedly molested her. Upon hearing the student’s and her aunt’s screams, local villagers rushed to the scene, prompting the assailants to abandon their bike and flee. The villagers then seized the bike and brought it back to the village.

When the two accomplices of the alleged molesters returned to the village at night to retrieve the abandoned bike, the villagers apprehended them. Later, upon receiving the news, police from the Beliatore police station arrived at the village, sparking a violent protest from the locals. The villagers demanded swift action against the perpetrators, calling for their immediate arrest and punishment. They warned of escalating the protests into a larger movement if the authorities fail to take prompt and decisive action against the accused.

The victim expressed her shock and disbelief that such an incident occurred in her own village, stating, ‘I never thought something like this would happen here.’ She further revealed that she has learned the identity of one of the alleged perpetrators, naming him as Shariful Mondal.

Communal tensions are running high in the area, with Hindu villagers suspecting a coordinated attack on their community amidst Police inaction. There are concerns that Muslims may be planning to retaliate against Hindus in response to the incident, further exacerbating the already volatile situation. ‘Police are also  threatening us to arrest,’  alleged the Hindu villagers of Bandarguda.

Read this news in Bengali: দিনে দুপুরে হিন্দু কলেজ ছাত্রীর শ্লীলতাহানির অভিযোগ, উত্তজেনা বাঁকুড়ার বেলিয়াতোড়ে (via Bangla Hindustantimes)

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__Inputs from Agencies.