On 8th February (Friday), a brother duo, Amir Chand Sheikh and Abdul Sheikh, and three women from the family were arrested by the police in the Sengpur village under Krishnanagar-1 block of West Bengal’s Nadia. They were arrested for fulfilling their deceased mother, Rabiya Bibi’s pledge to donate her eyes. A case was registered against them under Sections 303(2) (punishment for theft), 351(2) (general criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
After Rabiya’s demise on 8th February, a medical team arrived to retrieve her corneas. However, this offended the neighbours who filed a police complaint. Media reports say that Amir was accused of selling his mother’s eyes.
Despite Rabiya having died of natural causes and her eyes having been donated to a hospital, her body was sent for a post-mortem examination due to the outrage caused by the locals. A TOI report says that the deceased woman’s eyes were donated to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.
Amir Sheikh, who is reported to be a respected teacher, denied the eye-selling allegation. He said that he was being framed. “I am being framed. Five to seven people from the neighbourhood have conspired against me out of jealousy. Their intention is to destroy my career, Amir said.
He further alleged that his decision to fulfil his mother’s pledge to donate her eyes offended Islamists, who attacked his family. “In keeping with her wish, I ensure that she could donate her two eyes. Because of this, religious fundamentalist forces attacked us, they vandalised our house, assaulted members of our family, and filed false cases against us. Even after we showed the police all the documents, including my mother’s death certificate, they did not grant us any relief. The police did not properly examine the documentary evidence we presented,” Amir said.
Since voluntary organ donation is legal, the local police’s one-sided action based on complaints by neighbours involved in a land dispute with Amir and his family is being questioned, with many accusing the local administration of appeasement of Islamists. The Sheikh family’s arrest sparked protests, with people demanding their release.
It is essential to note that Islamists largely consider organ donation as Haram (forbidden) although there is no such belief associated with receiving organs.
They were sent to judicial custody for three days. On 12th February, Amir, his brother Abdul, and three female members of the family were released from jail on bail. After coming out of jail, Amir Sheikh resumed his duties as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision work in West Bengal.
