05-West Bengal.pdf - People's watch

intervention and pressure from the villagers a search was made in the backyard of Partha’s house on
26 th November 2007, and the body of Sudipta was found in the septic tank, with both hands and legs tied.
It was only after finding the body that the police filed a complaint and started investigation. The police were
able to arrest only one companion of the suspect, Gobinda by name, who reported that he was paid
Rs.6000 for repairing the tank. In the meantime Partha had absconded. The body was taken for post
mortem and the police kept the family members of the deceased ignorant about the report. The activists
of the ruling party were on the other hand putting pressure upon the victim’s family to mutually settle the
matter and withdraw the allegations against the culprits. The police even after having sufficient knowledge
of the culpable involvement of the culprits into the death of the victim from the beginning of the incident,
assisted them to escape punishment.
FF Code : W.B./Mon (S. Mukhtar Ahmed)/
District-24 PGS (N)/Mar- 31/03/08/Sl.No.-119
Victim(s) : Sumana Chowdhury
Perpetrator(s) : 1) Lakshman Chakraborty 2) Gour Ghosh 3) Bapi Das
4) Dipali Ghosh 5) Sefali Ghosh 6) Arindam Mukherjee, OIC
Location : Hasnabad PS, North 24 Parganas
Date of incident : 16/03/2008
Case Details:
Victim Sumana Chowdhury, aged 34, is a journalist, and an editor of a local newspaper namely
‘Tapoban’. She often published news regarding corruption, smuggling and the like, the result of which
many influential people were annoyed with her, seeking an opportunity to take revenge. Sumana faced
several problems from 2004. Sushil Adhikari filed a false complaint against her at Hasnabad Police
Station owing to which she was much harassed and humiliated by the SI. In September 2006 Sumana
published news regarding the smuggling of a drug to Bangladesh by Lakshman Chakraborty. Once
again she reported a news regarding trafficking of women, and the hand of Archana Mitra, a member of
the Women’s Association in it. On 15 th March 2008 the OIC of Hasbnabad Police Station threatened the
victim. The next day while Sumana was returning home she was assaulted by Shefali Ghosh, a
member of the Women Association. 20 to 25 people gathered in the place and beat her up brutally. Her
gold ring was snatched by the women. The OIC was witnessing all these things as a silent spectator,
and suggesting the perpetrators to file a false case against Sumana. The victim sought the help of her
advocate who asked her to get admitted in the hospital. The victim did accordingly and returned home
to find all the things scattered and important papers thrown away. She went to file a complaint at
Hasnabad Police Station which was first refused but later accepted due to pressure from the advocate.
She was caused to wait at the station till night for the same. Sumana was not issued the copy of the FIR
too. On 29 th March 2008 few organizations demonstrated before the police station over the issue of
coercion of a lady journalist. A counter case was also lodged by the perpetrators, and the accused
people have obtained bail from the court.
West Bengal
439
Annual Report on Torture
2007