M A I N   N E W S

Village head ‘orders’ rape in WB
Tribune News Service & PTI

Kolkata, January 23
A 19-year-old tribal woman was gang-raped at Labpur village in Birbhum district, allegedly on the orders of the local gram pradhan, as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different community, triggering outrage.

Punishment for affair: 12 men rape teen   The 19-year-old victim was initially slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 for having an affair with a youth from a different community The gram pradhan ordered her gang-rape after the family said they would not be able to pay the fine Thirteen persons, including the pradhan and three  Trinamool workers, have been arrested

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered the removal of Birbhum Superintendent of Police C Sudhakar. Thirteen persons, including the pradhan and three Trinamool workers, have been arrested for the brutal assault and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

It is learnt that the village pradhan called a meeting of the local “morals” (important people) on Monday after allegations of a youth mixing with a girl from outside his community reached him.

The youngsters were also present in the meeting along with members of their families. After the meeting, the pradhan pronounced the young woman and the youth “guilty” and “fined” them Rs 15,000 each. They were the tied to a tree throughout the night. As the girl’s family expressed its inability to pay the “fine”, the “morals body” directed nearly a dozen locals belonging to the boy’s community to rape the girl on Tuesday.

“Following the pradhan’s orders, at least 13 persons, including (some) members of a single family, continuously raped me. I lost count…," said the victim. She is fighting for her life at the Labpur Government Hospital while the youth was reported missing. The incident occurred on Tuesday, but its report reached the state government late Wednesday.

West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan advocated corporal punishment for the gram pradhan and the Trinamool workers allegedly involved in the incident. He expressed shocked that such a horrible and heinous incident could take place in civilised society.

In Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari asked the state government to ensure "strictest punishment" to the culprits.

West Bengal Women Commission Chairperson Sunanda Goswami said the commission would order a probe into the incident tomorrow. The district SP will be asked to probe the matter.