Pakua Haat Adivasi women harassment: Action against policemen for inaction

Kolkata (IANS). The West Bengal Police has finally initiated departmental action against the policemen for inaction in the case of harassment and outraging modesty of two tribal women at Pakua Haat under Bamangola police station in Malda district on July 19.

Action has been taken against four officers on charges of negligence in the matter.

The officers against whom action has been taken include Inspector-in-charge of Bamangola police station Jaideep Chakraborty, Officer-in-charge of Nalagola police post Mrinal Sarkar, Officer-in-charge of Pakua Haat police station Rakesh Vishwas and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sarkar.

It may be noted that apart from those involved in the harassment of the two tribal women, the police have also recently arrested two people for their involvement in the vandalism at the Nalagola police post under Bamangola police station.

However, both were later released on bail.

The Malda district police authorities have also initiated a departmental inquiry against these four officials.

The action has been initiated nine days after the incident of harassment and humiliation of tribal women.

After a video on the incident initially surfaced, State Commerce and Industry Minister Dr. Shashi Panja claimed that the BJP was unnecessarily politicizing the Malda case.

He had said, “The Malda incident was a case of theft, where two women tried to steal something from a local market. In that process a group of women tried to take law and order into their hands. Case has been registered and police
Investigating the matter.”

On this, the civil society raised questions whether the accused of theft can be assaulted and harassed like this and that too in a public place.