10-member police team begins investigation into ‘sexual harassment’ allegations in Sandeshkhali

The 10-member team, led by a DIG-ranked woman police officer, began a probe into the complaints made by women at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas. The team visited Sandeshkhali on Tuesday.

The CID DIG Soma Das Mitra said that they have visited the area to dispel the fear amongst the women and spoke with the locals there.

An all-women team had visited the conflicted area. Mitra further informed the media that four written complaints have been received.

A section of women in Sandeshkhali have alleged of sexual abuse. According to the visiting officials, some women have alleged that the physical torture was in terms of beating. The state women’s commission had also visited Sandeshkhali on Monday. They had spoken with the local women there.

A clash broke out between BJP workers and police in Basirhat during their protest against the alleged sexual harassment of women by

TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides. The situation worsened as protesters broke police barriers while marching towards the superintendent of the police office.

The West Bengal Police had earlier shared on social media that ten days of police custody was sought in respect of both the arrested persons, but the court granted bail to both. “Both are wanted in several serious criminal charges cases which were registered in Sandeshkhali in the last few days. It is being made unequivocally clear that strict legal action is being initiated against a section of the media for wilful distortion and the misrepresentation of facts,” the police shared on X.