Schoolgirl raped in Hosenabad, Hooghly

Crowd runs amok in protest

Hosenabad within the jurisdiction of the police station of Polba in the district of Hooghly following the public outrage from noon to evening on Thursday or June 12 is tensed yet and even if local police and administration has beefed up security measures, the infuriation refuses to die down. The problem started at 1 pm on Thursday when locals in large numbers blocked the crossway between the busy GT Road and Delhi Road all of a sudden demanding justice and arrest of Sheikh Niyamat Ali who had raped a schoolgirl named Sangita (name changed) on last Monday. The blockade continued till 6 pm disrupting the entire thoroughfare for the next few hours as well. The assailant’s stationery shop was first ransacked and then burnt down by the irate mob. Even if two fire brigade vans rushed to the spot to bring the fire under control, the furious mob stopped them from going on with the job. The blockade was withdrawn only when higher police officials reached the spot and assured the public of arresting the culprit soon.

It has been learnt from locals, Sheikh Niyamat Ali (age 45) used to have a stationery shop at Hosenabad behind the crossing of GT Road and Delhi Road. On June 9 or Monday, Sangita, a schoolgirl of Class IV and living at Majherpara within Hosenabad, went to his shop to purchase bubblegum. As none was there, Niyamat Ali asked her to get into the shop and the helpless and innocent girl was raped by him repeatedly. When her family members learnt the crime, an FIR was registered against him in the local police station of Polba. But the culprit had fled by that time. Strikingly, even if an FIR was lodged against such a heinous crime, police was found to be apathetic, enough to enrage locals in the area. On Wednesday, parents of Sangita along with locals visited the Superintendent of Police’s office for justice. It has come to knowledge, the mob was handled rudely there.  

On Thursday, in the morning, locals along with parents of Sangita went to the Chinsurah Police Line to vent their anger against sloppy approaches of police. Then, they were joined by others and the demand for a quick justice intensified. As soon as the fuming mob returned, the road blockade at the crossway between the busy GT Road and Delhi Road initiated. They were found to demand justice and also reprimand police for failing to arrest the culprit or Niyamat Ali. Moreover, since Niyamat Ali’s relatives were warning Sangita’s parents with dire consequences, the protest reached a new height. Protestors were joined by others and soon, the shop of Niyamat Ali was plundered and burnt down. All materials from the shop including sugar, potatoes, rice were brought to the thoroughfare and set to fire.

To quell the fury, Tanmay Sarkar, DSP (Headquarters) rushed to the spot. But he could not achieve success. Later he was joined by Tathagata Basu, Police Super (Headquarters) and Debasree Sanyal, DSP (D&T). Albeit the police officers tried best to diffuse the anger and halt the blockade, locals could not be restrained. Only when Tathagata Basu assured the mob of arresting the culprit within next two days and before press and media, the blockade was lifted.  An intense search to arrest the culprit has begun.

Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.