Following massive outrage by villagers who staged a protest outside the Police outpost, West Bengal police has suspended a sub-inspector who was accused of assaulting and torturing a woman for 11 hours at the Police station. The Police officer brutally tortured the woman because he suspected that her minor son had stolen his gold bracelet.
On Wednesday (21st February), at around 3 PM, the housewife was taken to the Khanakul police station in Hooghly where she was allegedly beaten and subjected to unspeakable atrocities for 11 hours. As per reports, it is further alleged that chillies were rubbed on the sensitive parts of the body like under her eyes and private parts of her body. After the assault, the accused officer gave her some money to get medical treatment and threatened her not to tell anyone about the incident.
Currently, the victim woman is undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Arambagh. Following the development, the accused officer identified as Tushar Mandal has been suspended by the police administration.
According to reports, there is a police outpost under Khanakul police station in Chingra Gram Panchayat of Khanaku. There is a primary school near this outpost. The victim housewife’s minor son studies there.
A few days ago, during a volleyball match being played there, the accused officer Tushar Mandal’s gold bracelet reportedly went missing. The suspicion of theft fell upon the woman’s son. Tushar Mandal was repeatedly asking the woman to return the bracelet, not believing her pleas that her son her not stolen it.
On Wednesday evening at three o’clock, he took the woman to the Khanakul police station. Even though she was released after 11 hours late at night, her physical condition was reportedly very bad, according to family members.
It is alleged that the accused police officer Tushar Mandal repeatedly pressured the housewife to return the bracelet while she kept clarifying that she did not get any jewellery. After about 11 hours i.e. at 2 am, she was left half dead. The officer reportedly gave Rs 1000 to her to get treatment and said, “Let no one know.”
She was immediately taken to Khanakul Rural Hospital at night. When her condition worsened there, she was transferred to a private nursing home in Arambagh.
The family of the woman was shocked by the alleged brutal abuse by the police which outraged the villagers and created a tense atmosphere in the region. Due to the alleged atrocities by the Police officer, the villagers protested in front of the Police outpost on Friday afternoon.
The victim said, “I don’t know anything. Who took his bracelet? He didn’t leave me despite telling me repeatedly. He beat me a lot. After that, I didn’t know anything. I had no idea. When I regained consciousness I was in a nursing home.” Her relatives Samar Bagh and Kakali Dhara said, “The manner in which he assaulted cannot be described in words.”
Based on the victim housewife’s complaint, the police officer was suspended. Additionally, a departmental investigation has also been initiated against him.
Further, Hooghly Rural Superintendent of Police Kamnshis Sen stated that an FIR has been lodged in this matter. He added that apart from the accused police officer, those who else were involved in this incident are also being investigated.