Eight days after gangrape FIR, police write to victim: Give us the clothes you wore that night

The letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, shows the callousness and the neglect that has marked the investigation.

“You are hereby informed,” the letter says, in Bengali, “that the clothes you wore during the incident of November 6, be produced (before the undersigned) in connection with the inquiry. This is extremely urgent.”

The letter is in the name of Krishnendu Pradhan, Sub Inspector, Nandigram Police Station, District East Midnapore. When contacted, Pradhan confirmed that a letter had been sent to the victim under Section 160 CrPC. Incidentally, this Section deals with a police official’s power to require attendance of a witness in a criminal case.

Asked about the letter, Sabina told The Indian Express: “That sari was the only piece of cloth I had on me when I escaped from my village and I have been wearing it even in the hospital bed. I got another sari at the hospital and I have washed the first one several times so far.”

This also puts a question mark on the seriousness with which the police have gone about collecting evidence in the case. First, they failed to visit the victim’s house in Satengabari, 50 km from the hospital, for days even after the rape case was registered on the plea that the area was “too tense.” During that period, when The Indian Express visited her house, it found that it had been looted and ransacked, her belongings, including clothes, were strewn on the floor. Also, no woman police officer has visited Sabina till date to either record her statement — mandatory in an alleged rape case. In her police complaint, Sabina identified some alleged culprits who were from her village and even named them in the FIR. But no one has been arrested so far.

The medical report of Sabina which along with her complaint formed the basis of the case being officially registered, mentioned “multiple abrasions” on different parts of her body but no vaginal injuries. A doctor who examined Sabina said there were bruises on her thighs as well. A “vaginal swab” was collected for investigation a full six days after the incident and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kolkata. Its report is still awaited.

Meanwhile, there is a flicker of hope for Sabina regarding her two daughters who were missing since the night of the incident. Some villagers have told her, she said, that the two girls have been traced somewhere in Bagnan in Howrah. The two had escaped after being tortured and physically abused along with their mother who alleged that they were raped as well. The police, however, said they are yet to trace the girls.

Said Neeva Kanwar, member of the visiting team from the National Commission for Women: “The police in Nandigram are not acting at all. The victim in Tamluk hospital (Sabina) could name five people who raped her. We learnt that these people are roaming around freely in the village…Sabina told us how she got raped, with 30 people surrounding her house.”

In all, Kanwar said, the NCW team received three rape complaints during their recent visit. “We could not talk to a large number of women, but among those we met in the relief camp in Nandigram, villages and hospitals we received three complaints. Three months earlier, when we came here, we received four complaints of rape. One of the victims we met at the refugee camp and another at Tamluk hospital (Sabina). We will submit a report and take necessary steps, including recommendations to the Centre, for the rehabilitation of these victims.”