Tribal woman raped in Murshidabad

BEHRAMPORE/ BURWAN: On Monday, yet another case of rape in the district came to public notice with the victim recording her statement at a Kandi court.
The report of assault at Margram village in Khargram came a day after the unclothed body of a homemaker was found in an abandoned quarters in Burwan. The woman's family alleged that though they lodged a rape complaint against local youth Bikash Rajbangshi on Friday, police did not take any action.
"Bikash often used filthy language with my sister-in-law, but we ignored him. On Friday, he dragged her inside a cowshed and raped her. I tried to rescue her, but Rajbangshi attacked me with a stick," said the victim's brother-in-law. They are among the 50 tribal labourers who had come from Birbhum's Andulia.
SP Humayun Kabir, however, said they have already conducted medical tests on the woman and were trying to nab the accused.
As the Khargarm victim's family railed for punishment of the culprit, locals of Burwan refused to accept the police theory of 'murder following consensual sex' and accused cops of pressuring the victim's family to withdraw the rape charge.
The homemaker's brother-in-law who filed the complaint said, "Police are trying to mislead us. Though we have been saying she was raped and killed, they are pressuring us to withdraw the rape charge. We want punishment of the culprit since Prakash Das has previous records of assault on women."
The women of the village, too, said that Prakash had made advances on several other women earlier. Police, however, stood by their theory. Kabir said, "Prakash has confessed to his crime in the presence of the victim's husband and five villagers. However, there was no sign of violence. We will include the rape charge if the autopsy report suggests so."
Brother in law tried to save his sister in law, but failed. Rapist raped one migrant tribal labourer inside cattle house and even attacked protestor brother in law two days ago. The incident happened at Margram village in Khargram police station on Friday noon, but the incident came into lime light as the victim Manju Maddy gave statement before Kandi assistant chief judicial magistrate's court on Monday. Her brother in law Ananda Mudi is still admitted at Kandi subdivisional hospital since Friday.
6 tribal labourers from Andulia under Mayureswar police station in Birbhum had come to Khargram in search of job and took shelter at Panchanan Mondal's house about one month ago. 'Nearly 50 labourers came to our area for farming job and 6 took shelter at my house and 2 returned home 3 days ago. While, Maddy and her sister in law Phulmani Mudi and brother in law Ananda Mudi told me how one youth Bikash Rjabangshi tortured on them I rushed to Khargram police station to lodge complaint and then started treatment on the sameday. But, police did not take any step.'
'Bikash Rajbangshi used to throw filthy langugaes on my sister in law. We did not give any importance at first. But, the youth dragged her inside cow shed and close the door and raped. I tried to rescue her and he attacked me with stick. I got injury and could not shield her. Police took complaint and remained silent' described Ananda Mudi, victim's brother in law.
Phulmani, wife of Ananda Mudi added 'we are not ready to compromise with prestige and want punishment of the culprit who raped Manju and even attacked on my husband. He even threatened us to kill if we go to police.' S.P Humayun Kabir said 'rape complaint has been lodged on Friday and we started the case. Medical tests to the victim has benn conducted also. We are trying to nab the accused youth and still he is absconding. '
Purnima Karmakar, secretary, All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan said 'what is happening in Murshidabad day by dayfrom June 11 to June 23-four rape cases occured. We demand not only punishemnt of culprits, but also social security of girl and women.'
The alleged rape-murder of a Burwan homemaker early on Sunday took a complicated turn with villagers refusing to accept the police theory of 'murder following consensual sex' and accusing cops of pressuring the victim's family to withdraw the rape charge. While the women of Kharjuna village said the accused - Prakash Das - had made advances on other women earlier, Prakash's wife said her husband was innocent despite him confessing to police.
On Monday, while the woman's body was sent for autopsy, Prakash was remanded in police custody for two days.
Union minister of state for railways Adhir Chowdhury is slated to visit Burwan on Tuesday.
The homemaker's brother-in-law who filed the police complaint said, "Police are trying to mislead us. From the very beginning, we are saying she was raped and killed. But they are pressuring us to withdraw the rape charge. We want punishment of the culprit since Prakash has previous records of assault on women of village. Police are trying to defame the reputation of our family." A woman of Kharjuna corroborated the victim's brother-in-law's claim and said Prakash had threatened to assault her.
Prakash's wife Runu Das, however, said, "My husband is innocent. He was with me till 6.30am on Sunday."
Police, however, stood by their theory. Murshidabad SP Humayun Kabir said, "Prakash Das confessed to his crime in the presence of the victim's husband and five villagers. Secondly, there were a few strands of hair in the victim's hand which we suspect belong to the murderer. There was no sign of violence. Thirdly, it is impossible for a person to drag the body from the field to the abandoned quarter. The woman had probably not gone to the field to relieve herself as is being claimed by her family. Lastly, the body was affected with rigor mortis indicating that she was murdered at 3.30am. We will include the rape charge if the autopsy report suggests so."
Village Kharjuna under Burwan police station is not ready to accept police's 'illicit relationship' theory of the murdered housemaker Shyamali Das. Rather, most of the villagers raised allegation that police is giving constant pressure to withdraw 'rape charge' on Monday. Villagers organised rally demanding exemplary punishment of the accused and arrested youth Prakash Das. On Sunday, police failed to conduct autopsy report as relatives demanded neutral report from expert and the body fell on Behrampore morge.
Shyamali's body was recovered from abandoned Kharjuna sub health centre's staff quarters' on Sunday morning and she was missing from early morning. Villagers found her naked body from the abandoned qaurters' behind straw piles and informed police, but stopped police to draw body demanding arrest of culprit by 48 hours and district police chief must ensure that and showed agitation for about 5 hours.
Police arrested Prakash Das and concluded that there was a illicit relation with the woman and after consentful sexual enjoy murdered the woman as she demanded to marry her.
Ujjwal Das, brother in law of the victim said 'Sir, police is trying to mislead. From the beginning we are saying she was raped and killed. But, they are giving pressure to withdraw rape charge. We want punishment of the culprit as arrested Prakash Das has previuos two records to assault village girl and woman. We want punishment. Police is trying to defame our family reputation. You can ask anybody of the village, how was my sister in law"
None advocates of Kandi court stood behind arrested accused Prakash Das and Kandi court ordered for two days police custody of Prakash for further investigation on Monday. Bandana Bagdi, another house maker of Kharjuna alleged 'this youth had threatened me to see about one month ago while I went to cut grass on the field and I could not sleep 3-4 nights in fear. Police is concoting story to shield him from punishment. Prakash must be punished.' However, Runu Das, wife of arrested youth claimed 'my husband is innocent. He was with me till 6.30 a.m with me. Police framed him with false conseus sexual relation and murder.'
Police is still rigid on 'illicit relation' and consensus sexual relation and murder theory. S.P Humayun Kabir said 'we detained 4 youths at first from suspicion. Later, Prakash Das confessed everything to police and even victim's husband Baidyantah Das and five villagers were there. Secondly, we got a bunch of breaking hair from the victim's hand, it might be of the murderer while she was trying to save. But, there is not a single sign of mark of violence. Thirdly, abandoned quarter is not a place of toilet and it's quite impossible to draw and carry body from field to abandoned quarter. Fourthly, body was rigormotis and it's impossible to hard one body from 5 a.m to 9.30 a.m, rather arrested youth's statement is believable that he murdered at around 3.30 a.m. We always stand beside victim and ready to enclose rape complaint if proved on autopsy report.'
Sourav Chatterjee, Forensic expert,