Couple whipped in Kangaroo Court at Chopra, 1 arrested; opposition targets Mamata Banerjee government, calls it ‘Taliban’ like ‘summary trial’

A couple was brutally assaulted following a Kangaroo Court session at Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal on June 28, video of what went viral on Sunday, sending shockwaves across the country. The man who conducted, supervised the illegal ‘Salishi Sabha’ and whipped the couple was later identified as Tajemul allies JCB, a known close associate of local Trinamool Congress MLA from Chopra Hamidur Rahaman. Tojamul was arrested by Police by Sunday evening on the basis of a suo motto case registered by Islampur Police after the video went viral on social media. "We have arrested one and initiated raids to arrest the other culprit and will investigate the reason behind the act promptly," said Islampur Police Superintendent Joby Thomas K. 

The video was first shared on social media by CPIM politburo member and former MP Md Salim. “Not even Kangaroo Court! Summary trial and punishment handed out by the TMC goon nicknamed JCB. Literally bulldozer justice at Chopra under ⁦Mamata Banerjee⁩ rule” Salim wrote on ‘X’ as he had posted the video. Like the Left, the BJP too had later picked up the issue to slam the state government of Mamata Banerjee. BJP called it a culture similar to ‘Taliban’. “This is the ugly face of Mamata Banerjee’s rule in West Bengal. India must wake up to the reality of Sharia Courts in TMC run West Bengal”, wrote BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya on his social media, with the view attached. 

In the video the man Tajemul could be seen mercilessly whipping a couple in public. Locals later claimed the couple was allegedly into an extra marital affair. Both the families of the man and the woman had allegedly sought a resolve to the issue, locally. They had approached the culprit and were also present when ‘JCB’ was publicly whipping them. The woman (victim) clad in a yellow kurta and a man in shirt-and-trousers, surrounded by a group of villagers including women, were also seen being kicked by other men. No one had lodged any complaint with the police. 

Trinamool has condemned the incident and assured that law will spare no one. “This is condemnable. TMC’s local leaders have also condemned the incident. Police have registered a case and the culprits will soon be arrested. What we are surprised about is when the BJP talks about kangaroo court etc. We have seen so many incidents of utmost brutality in the name of kangaroo courts in UP and Bihar. Let the police do their work”, TMC leader Santanu Sen said. 

In a statement, the Islampur district police said, “Efforts are being made from certain quarters to spread misinformation about an incident in Chopra PS under Islampur PD. The fact is, police promptly identified and arrested one person who had publicly assaulted a lady. Suo motu case started by the police. Victim has been provided police security. Investigation proceeds.”