A woman and her family were allegedly assaulted in Sabang in West Midnapore district on April 15, an incident that has sparked political reactions ahead of the upcoming elections.
Alleged attack in Sabang
According to the complaint filed by Sathi Ghorai Bhuinya, a resident of Maniki village under Sabang Police Station, she and her family were sitting near their locality when a group of individuals allegedly attacked them.
Also Read | 'No one happier than me': Mamata Banerjee hails Supreme Court order on voter list row
The letter written in Bengali and dated April 15, was written by the complainant, Sathi Ghorai Bhuinya, and addressed to the officer in-charge of Sabang Police Station. In it, she stated that she and her family were sitting near their home when a group of local individuals allegedly arrived and attacked them without provocation.
The woman alleged that the accused physically assaulted her and her husband, kicking and beating them. She said her husband was attacked when he tried to intervene. The complaint further mentions that the assailants used abusive language and issued threats during the incident.
The letter also states that the couple's minor child was present at the scene and witnessed the assault, adding to the distress faced by the family. According to the complainant, the accused fled the area when other residents began to gather.
Sathi Ghorai Bhuinya has sought police action against those involved.
Minor child witnesses incident
The complainant stated that her minor child was present during the incident and witnessed the violence. She said this added to the trauma faced by the family.
The accused have been identified as Giridhari Mondal, Ajay Mondal, Debabrata Mondal, Priyadarshi Mal, Prasenjit Ojha, Biswajit Ojha and others. The complainant alleged that they are associated with the BJP, though there has been no official confirmation from the party.
Political reaction
Reacting to the incident, Abhishek Banerjee condemned the attack while speaking from Sabang, on Thursday. He said strict action would be taken against those responsible.
Also Read | About 7.4 lakh names deleted, 316 CAPF companies deployed — Murshidabad gets highest CAPF cover
"I received news that a woman and her 2-year-old daughter was threatened by BJP workers from here last night. We have lodged a complaint against this. One has already been arrested. We will avenge this after elections," said Abhishek Banerjee.
"All the people who threatened this woman and her daughter, I'm taking their names with me. On May 4, we will make these people fall to her feet and apologise," Banerjee added.
The incident has added to political tensions in the region as the state moves closer to elections. Police are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
