NCW chief questions police role in Pakua Hat tribal women harassment

Kolkata, Aug 1 National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Tuesday questioned the role of police in therecent incident of harassment and outrage of modesty of two tribal women at Pakua Hat in Malda district of West Bengal.

She was especially critical over the arrest of the two victims, who were later released on bail.

An NCW team led by Sharma, who arrived in West Bengal on Monday, reached Pakua Hat on Tuesday afternoon and talked to the local police officials in the matter. Sharma directly questioned the police officials on why the cops arrested the victims. She was replied that a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the concerned police officers and they have been closed.

“Are the police mere puppets? Why will they not conduct a fair probe in the matter? The two victims were in police custody for six days and the police failed to realize that they had arrested the wrong person. Why are the police officers responsible not arrested? Who will give back those six days to the victim tribal women?” Sharma questioned.

The deputy superintendent of police Azharuddin Khan assured the NCW team that if the departmental probe proves that the concerned police officials were at fault, actions will surely be taken against them.

The NCW delegation to West Bengal is being viewed by the political observers in the state as a counter to the recent visit by leaders of the

opposition alliance Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to violence-ridden Manipur.

--IANS