South 24 Parganas, 3 October (H.S.):

A shocking incident of gang rape has rocked Kultali in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, where a 60-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by three men on Tuesday night. While two accused have been handed over to the police by local residents, the third remains absconding, triggering anger and tension in the area.

According to police and local sources, the incident took place when the victim was alone at home. Her husband had been admitted to a hospital for an eye surgery. The three accused reportedly broke into the house with the intention of stealing poultry. When the woman woke up and tried to resist them, they allegedly dragged her into a room at knifepoint and raped her.

The victim said the men were armed with a country-made pistol and sharp weapons, which they used to intimidate her. After the assault, the accused tried to flee, but locals chased them. Two of them were caught and kept under guard through the night before being handed over to the police the next morning. They were produced before the sub-divisional court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the third accused has managed to evade arrest. Despite continuous police raids, he is still at large, leading to mounting frustration among locals. Residents allege that the arrests were possible only because of their intervention, and they accuse the police of being slow and negligent in their action.

The case has once again raised questions over women’s safety in West Bengal. The state has witnessed several gruesome incidents of sexual assault in recent times, including the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this year, which had sparked nationwide outrage.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh