Krishnanagar, Feb. 23: An expectant mother lost her baby after she was allegedly kicked on her abdomen by pradhan of a BJP ruled gram panchyat in Nadia’s Dhubulia while trying to save her madhyamik examinee nephew being heckled for asking to decrease volume off a sound box playing at a religious soiree by close associates of the BJP leader.
Police have arrested accused Palash Biswas, pradhan of Sadhanpara-II gram panchayat and Prahlad Santra on the basis of a complaint lodged by Sambhu Chandra Das, a Trinamul Congress and a neighbor of the victim woman identified as Maya Santra (29). The duo was produced before a court in Krishnanagar and put to jail custody for 13 days.
The incident occurred in Tatla village of Dhubulia on late on Tuesday night. The woman, pregnant for three months, was admitted to Krishnanagar Sadar hospital early on Wednesday morning, where doctor stated that she lost her baby.
Accusing the police of implicating party leader on the basis of false allegation, the BJP supporters today blocked NH34 in Dhubulia for above thirty minutes and also demanded his release.
Superintendant of police “There was scuffle between two groups over playing of microphone during which the woman was injured. Later we got report from hospital that she suffered a miscarriage. On the basis of specific complaint we have arrested two persons in this connection”.
Police charged the accused under section 313 (causing miscarriage without consent), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (causing grievous hurt), 354 (criminal force on woman), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC.
Local sources said, on Tuesday (Feb 21) night, locals in Tatla village organized a keertan-Yajna at the local temple and playing a sound box. Trouble began at about 10pm when some Madhyamik examinees accompanied by some Trinamul activists asked the organizers decrease volume of sound box which followed an altercation.
Naru Santra, an examinee said: “We requested the organizers decrease volume of the box, but they refused and started beating us. My aunty was injured while trying to save me. She was kicked by some of the organizers”.
Jharu Santra, one of the members of Gour Bhakta Sampraday, who organized the soiree, said: “There was festival for five days and considering the Madhyamik examination we were playing small sound boxes in a very low volume that too covering it with jute sacks so that the examinees are not disturbed. Nevertheless, when they approached we again decreased the volume. But, some Trinamul leaders started abusing us verbally and ransacked the soiree and yajna. They also had beaten up me. We tried to resist that led to a scuffle. There were some women who eventually trapped during the scuffle. Palash rushed to the spot hearing the commotion and pacified both side. But he never kicked any woman. The allegations are baseless”.
Jharu Santra on behalf of the organizers also lodged complaint at Dhubulia police station against seven persons for ransacking and beating them. But, so far police arrested none.
On Wednesday evening when pradhan Palash Biswas accompanied by Prahlad went to Dhubulia police to inquire about the incident, he was detained. About five thousand BJP activists’ gheraoed the police station in protest, when he was shifted to Krishnanagar police station where he was declared arrested.
Victim Maya Santra said: “It was Palash who kicked me in my abdomen when I was trying to save my nephew Narugopal. Some of his associates also threw chairs on me. I fell on ground in pain and later admitted to hospital”.
Complainant Sambhu Chandra Das said: “The assault on the woman occurred in my presence. Palash and his aides kicked the woman repeatedly”.
Sanjoy, victim’s husband, also accused Palash. He said: “Palash kicked my wife repeatedly after she fell on the ground”
BJP’s Nadia district secretary Mahadeb Sarkar said: “The allegation is framed and only to implicate to a popular leader like Palash for which Trinamul miserably failed to increase its support base in Dhubulia. It is a conspiracy by local Trinamul MLA Ujjwal Biswas. He has been trying to grab the four Trinamul run panchayat in Krishnanagar – 1 block for long, but failed repeatedly. If he really attacked a woman, no woman would turn up here to express solidarity for him”.
Trinamul MLA Ujjwal Biswas said: “Trinamul is unnecessarily dragged into controversy. One has to pay for his crime”.