West Bengal: Tribal Girl Allegedly Raped, Sister Molested in Malda; Mother Dies of Shock

Kolkata:  Two teenaged tribal sisters were waylaid, molested and the elder one was allegedly gang-raped by a group of youth in Malda district on Tuesday night. The girls were returning home after attending a wedding ceremony. On Wednesday, when their mother got to know of the crime, she died of shock, according to police sources.

Two of the accused youths were reportedly known to the elder sister, who faced their onslaught at around 11 p.m at night.

While the 19 year-old elder sister was allegedly raped by two persons, the younger sister, 15, was molested by the group of youth, said reports quoting police sources. On hearing the plight of her daughters, their mother was shocked and broke down. She died soon after following a heart attack.

The incident took place in Harishchandrapur  Mangalpura panchayat area.

On Thursday, the key accused, Shailen Soren, was arrested, while search is going on for the other four who are absconding, police said.

After the incident, the teen girls went through medical tests and physical examination.

The elder sister, who is admitted in a hospital, recorded her testimony where she said: “We were returning from a marriage ceremony. The road was desolate at night. It was then that five-six persons encroached our way and forcibly took us toward the fields. There, two persons raped me. After freeing myself from their hands, I managed to reach my home and inform the elders. Then a search party, comprising villagers and my family members, came and my younger sister was rescued. At that time, one of the accused, Shailen Soren, was molesting my younger sister. He was caught by the villagers.”

More tragedy awaited the family, as the mother of the two teenaged girls, after hearing about her daughters’ ordeal, started sobbing inconsolably and suffered a heart attack while being taken to the hospital at Malda Medical on Wednesday afternoon, sources said.

According to police sources, there was a marriage ceremony in Mangalpura panchayat area. Bothe tribal families were close to family of the sisters, who had gone to the village to take part in the ceremony. After eating their dinner around 11 p.m, the girls were returning when the miscreants attacked them by encroaching upon their way. 

All the miscreants were in an intoxicated condition, according to police sources, and beat up both the sisters and allegedly raped the elder one.

District Police Superintendent Alok Rajoria informed press persons that five persons are involved in this gruesome incident, out of which two have been identified by the elder sister 

“We have got the names of the five accused. Search is going on regarding the missing four persons. Apart from rape charge, a case under the POCSO (Protection of child from sexual offences) Act has also been registered,” he said.

Rajoria added: “The principal accused Shailen Soren has been arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim. He has admitted his involvement in the crime and searches are on to nab four others involved in the incident. The case had been handed over to the women police station.”