Malda (West Bengal): Barely a couple of days after the shocking incident in Manipur where two women were paraded naked, a new video has surfaced on social media platforms, this time from Malda, West Bengal, showing two tribal women brutally beaten and made naked in public by a group of women.
According to initial reports, the incident took place at the Pakuahat area under the Bamangola police station in Malda around three to four days prior to the emergence of the video. Local residents had apprehended the two women on suspicion of theft and proceeded to unleash a merciless thrashing upon them.
When asked about it, Malda Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar Jadav said, “We have sent senior officers to the spot to investigate the matter and a sup moto case has been registered against unknown miscreants. We are also carefully examining the video to find out the culprits”.
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The video became a point of discussion when BJP leader Amit Malviya Tweeted the video. In a detailed message, the BJP IT cell chief wrote – “The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in Pakuahat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda”.
Taking a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was vocal against the Manipur incident, Malviya wrote, "The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women belonged to a socially marginalised community and had a frenzied mob baying for her blood… It had all the making of a tragedy that should have 'broken' Mamata Banerjee's heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the Home Minister of Bengal”.
“But she chose to do nothing. Neither did she condemn the barbarity nor did she express pain and anguish because it would have exposed her own failing as a Chief Minister,” he wrote. “But a day after, she shed copious tears and screamed blue murder, because it was politically expedient…,” he added.
The harrowing video depicted several women taking part in the assault, subjecting the accused women to inhumane treatment. However, astonishingly, no complaint was lodged with the West Bengal Police about this appalling incident.
"The incident occurred in the Pakuhat area of Malda approximately 3 to 4 days ago. Two women were caught by local traders on suspicion of theft. They were subjected to physical violence by the local female traders. Subsequently, both women left the area and did not lodge any police complaints. Similarly, the traders involved did not file any complaint regarding the incident," an official said.
Following a preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the two women were caught red-handed while committing the alleged theft, which apparently instigated the violent retaliation from local women shopkeepers.
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