Cooch Behar14 minutes agoAuthor: Tirthankar Das
A seven-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by five people in the Puthimari area of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district on Saturday, triggering widespread concern in the area.
The child reportedly fell ill following the alleged incident and is currently undergoing treatment at Dinhata Hospital.
Five people accused in alleged incident
According to the family, the girl’s father is mentally unwell, while her mother works as a domestic help to support the family. The alleged incident took place when no one else was at home, with the five accused reportedly entering the house and sexually assaulting the child.
Family struggles amid difficult circumstances
The girl’s mother has alleged that an attempt was made to suppress the matter by offering her ₹20,000. She claimed that BJP leader Shabana Khatun asked her to settle the matter in exchange for the money. The mother, however, said she wants the accused to be punished.
Family initially unable to file complaint
After the child became unwell, her family admitted her to Dinhata Hospital. The incident subsequently came to light, following which family members went to Dinhata police station to lodge a complaint. However, the complaint was reportedly not filed at that time.
Later in the evening, a CPI(M) delegation visited the family’s home and accompanied them to the police station.
BJP leader says she helped victim
BJP leader Shabana Khatun, however, denied the allegation of attempting to suppress the case. She said she went to the girl’s home after learning about the incident and arranged for her treatment at the hospital. She also claimed that she contacted the police and provided them with the names of those allegedly involved.
