A state’s war against women?

BANSHPAHARI: If the Naxalites are waging war against the state, the police are waging a war against the women in the remote tribal villages of West Midnapore. At “15 or 16�, Sulochana Kalindi has gone through hell. Married a year ago, her husband has deserted her, because she is “spoiled� and unable to work. She had come to visit her parents at Pachapani and was asleep at her aunt’s hut when there was a night raid.“Who’s sleeping there?� they asked.
“It’s my niece,� her aunt said. “It’s a boy,� challenged an officer. “She’s my niece, she can’t be a boy.� Sulochana’s sindur and red and white bangles were clearly visible in the searchlights. The officers had other things in mind. “Let’s see if it’s a man or a woman.� Sulochana was made to strip and pass a bizarre sex determination test.
The frail girl spoke with difficulty, lying on a cot at her father’s hut, to a fact-finding team of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights and TNN. Meanwhile, she has broken a leg and had an operation. A Congress leader had taken her to the human rights commission in Kolkata where she was hit by a car. “Our family income has reduced to half in this hour of crisis. We can’t go out to work together. One of us has to be home to nurse her,� said her parents, both landless labourers. A Congress worker from Belpahari helps though. Police frequented Krishna Kalindi’s house looking for her husband Manoj. She was assaulted 10-12 times with lathis and butts of guns, she says, and worse, they tore her scarce clothes. Bimala Mura of Chakadoba was taken from home with husband Uttam to Ranibandh police station in Bankura. They were thrashed and humiliated in front of each other. Recently bailed out after two months, she remembers other tortured women in jail. Particularly Allhadi Murmu, who was battered by women police.
Kakali Kalindi, 15, Hatchalipara, escaped physical assault, maybe because she is handicapped. However, she complained, the police took away her papers and Rs 720 she had just received as dole. Behula Kalindi of the same village has gone through long spells of beating in custody. Unable to bear it, she pleaded with the “top officer� in Bankura, “Sir, I have to look after my children, am a poor housewife.� She made grave mistake. “You are a housewife?� “Yes, sir.� “You are a whore.� She did not know what to say. “I’ll prove that you’re a whore.� She remained silent. “Strip.� She looked at the armed, hostile men. “I said strip.� She complied slowly, and stood motionless. “Look, how can a housewife do this?� All these women are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.