3 civic volunteers accused of raping woman in West Bengal’s Dhupguri; one arrested
Police say the accused, posted as civic volunteers at Dhupgiri police station in West Bengal, allegedly took the woman to a rented house, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted over three days.
Three civic volunteers posted at Dhupguri police station have been accused of repeatedly raping a woman over three days after allegedly abducting her from Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar district to Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri district. One of the accused has been arrested, while search is on for the other two absconding accused.
The arrested accused has been identified as Bulbul Alam, 30, a resident of Bhemtia in Dhupguri. He was posted as a civic volunteer at the Dhupguri police station. The other two accused also worked at the same police station, the police said.
Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar police conducted a joint operation following a complaint lodged at Mekhliganj police station. Alam was subsequently arrested by the Cooch Behar police for questioning.
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Jalpaiguri Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural), Soutam Banerjee said, “Jalpaiguri police and Cooch Behar police have arrested a civic volunteer in connection with the allegation of rape of a young woman. Searches are being conducted for the other two civic volunteers accused in the case. Since the incident did not take place here, no complaint has been filed here. Mekhliganj police station is investigating the entire incident. As they sought assistance, Jalpaiguri police joined the operation.”
According to police sources, the three accused allegedly abducted the woman to Dhupguri last week and kept her in a rented house. She was allegedly raped there repeatedly over three days.
Police said an investigation was launched after the woman lodged a written complaint at Mekhliganj police station. During the investigation, police found that all three accused were civic volunteers at Dhupguri police station and regularly performed duties alongside police personnel in the ‘plainclothes (PC) party’.
Cops say accused ‘repeat offenders’
It has been learnt from police sources that the three accused and some of their accomplices had allegedly committed several such crimes in the past, but their postings allegedly intimidated the victims from filing any complaints.
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Meanwhile, the woman filed a written complaint with the police, and her family has sought strict action against the accused.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress criticised the BJP-led state government over the incident, questioning women’s safety in West Bengal. In a post on X, the party said: “Another day, another horrific incident under the @BJP4Bengal government. In Dhupguri, a woman was allegedly raped repeatedly by three civic volunteers – an incident that has once again raised serious questions about women’s safety across the state. What happened to all the tall promises made by BJP leaders? Will the usual voices of outrage speak up now? Or has selective outrage always been driven by political convenience rather than justice?”
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
