Sandeshkhali: One Of The Prime Accused Arrested; Bengal DGP Assures Not To Spare Anyone

“We will spare no one…”, Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar on Saturday assured that the aggrieved villagers of Sandeshkhali who had erupted in anger last week, over what they alleged, years of oppression at the hands of three local Trinamool Congress leaders including Shahjahan Seikh and his two associates- Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra. Sandeshkhali has snowballed into a big talking point after women alleged of sexual harassment and torture by the three TMC leaders. Bengal DGP confirmed that they have registered a case of gang-rape, first so far, against accused Shibu Hazra after one of the complainants, while recording her statement before a magistrate under section 164 CrPC, on Friday had claimed harassment and sexual torture against Hazra.

 “The complainant had previously given a statement to us and also a written complaint. Then she hadn’t mentioned gang-rape. But while recording her statement before the magistrate, she made certain claims and we have added the appropriate sections in her old complaint against Hazra”, said Rajeev Kumar during a hurriedly called press conference on Saturday. 

Shibu Hazra was arrested by Bengal police on Saturday and booked under the sections of rape, the news came out minutes after the press conference got over. “We are looking into every complaint and all will be treated strictly. There must have happened something otherwise why would people burst into anger like this. But we can assure we are with them and we are looking into every complaint. Our officers are reaching out to all villagers and we will deal with the culprits strictly. Even if action is needed to be taken against police, we will do. No one will be spared”, he added when asked if people’s qualms against local police, who allegedly had turned deaf ears to the plight of the people, will be punished. 

The state administration and the government of Mamata Banerjee has been accused of apathy and patronage to criminals who had allegedly grabbed land of the villagers and converted them into wet lands for fisheries from agricultural lands. The state government has decided that officials from land department will be visiting Sandeshkhali and address to the complaints of the victims, assured Kumar. 

He also confirmed that very soon, the police will relook into the viability of the Section 144 prohibitory orders, currently in place in 19 specific areas. “We are trying to maintain the law and order. Section 144 is not to stop the opposition parties, rather to maintain law and order. After three days of violence, we have controlled the situation and there has been no fresh flare up”, Kumar said in response to the allegations that police had imposed prohibitory orders to stop BJP leaders and their fact finding teams who had to return from midway after being stopped from moving towards the trouble torn areas of Sandeshkhali Block 2. 

It all started after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials went to raid the house of TMC leader Seikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali Block 1 and then came under the attack from his supporters in January this year. The effect of that had spilled onto the neighbouring block 2 where people united over the demand of his arrest along with hid associates Hazra and Sardar, claiming the trio had tortured them for long, violated their human rights. Shahjahan is absconding since then. BJP had accused Mamata Banerjee government of trying to shield him. Ed has issued a look out notice against him.

“There is a case that is been investigated by the Enforcement Directorate against Shahjahan Sheikh. Have they been able to find him? We had registered a case against him but that has been stopped by the ED”, Rajeev Kumar added when asked if Bengal police has been able to trace him down.