Kolkata, 20 July (H.S.): A wave of anger swept through Ward No. 2 of Dumdum Municipality after the police arrested a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor on charges of attempting to cover up an alleged sexual assault on a toddler and helping the accused evade arrest.

According to the victim's family and local residents, the incident occurred on Sunday when a neighbor allegedly took the three-and-a-half-year-old girl for a walk near her home, handing her a mobile phone to keep her occupied. He is then accused of leading her a short distance away and sexually assaulting her. A local woman has claimed she witnessed the assault, and her account triggered an uproar in the neighborhood, during which the accused reportedly fled.

Residents allege that when news of the incident reached the former councillor, he urged the family to settle the matter privately instead of approaching the police, and allegedly helped the main accused escape. He is also accused of intimidating the eyewitness into silence.

The allegations sparked outrage in the locality, prompting BJP MLA for Dumdum, Arijit Bakshi, to visit the site. Speaking to reporters, Bakshi said the former councillor, who already faces several other allegations, had this time helped a man who committed what he called a barbaric act against a child to escape, and had gone further by threatening the witness into silence. He said a formal complaint had been lodged and expressed confidence that the police would act appropriately.

Acting on the complaints, the police arrested the former councillor on charges related to obstruction of justice and sheltering the accused. A search is underway for the main accused, who remains at large.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey