A WOMAN in Sandeshkhali whose child was snatched and flung by masked goons in police uniform, told the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) and the media on Saturday, that she didn’t go the police for help after the incident as she doesn’t trust the local cops. The WBCPCR woke up a week after the incident only after the District Magistrate got a notice from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), on Friday about the horrific incident in violence-hit Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. As the members of WBCPCR reached Sandeshkhali on Saturday morning, the mother of the child described the horrific experience that she underwent on the night of February 10, when goons came to their residence, snatched child from her arms and flung her away. The child’s mother said although those who came to their residence on that night were in police uniform, some of them were wearing slippers instead of shoes worn by the police.“They were all masked,” she said. When the WBCPCR members asked why she did not file any police complaint immediately after the incident, the mother said that they do not have any faith in the local police.

 

“We do not trust the local police. We are still very scared. My husband is still staying away from home out of fear of being hounded. I am scared of what will happen after the members of the WBCPCR leave. I havetold everything to the commission’s members,” she toldmedia persons present duringthe interaction. The member of the visitingWBCPCR team said theybecame active immediatelyafter getting information about theincident and that they did not knowanything about it till now. On Friday, the NCPCR directed the District Magistrate (DM)of South 24 Parganas DistrictSharad Kumar Dwivedi to takeprompt action in the matter. In the letter, signed by Dharmendra Bhandari, Principal Private Secretary to the NCPCR Chairperson,theDMhas also been asked to arrange for the medical treatment of the child.

 

Hehasalsobeenasked to ensure the safety and security of the victim’s family members,besides paying adequate compensation to the family and ensuring their proper rehabilitation and resettlement. The district administration has also been directed to share an actiontakenreportalong with the relevant documents with the commission within the next 48 hours. The child is now under treatment in a state-run medical facility. Advisor to the state child rights panel Sudeshna Roy told reporters,“Wehavecome to ground zero to assess the situation. Our duty is togiveprotectiontoevery childinthestateandalso see their rights are protected”.“Wewilltalktothe mother of the child who was allegedly tortured”, shesaid.Thesix-member team of the West Bengal Commission for ProtectionofChildRights which visited Sandeshkhali was led by its chairperson Tulika Das.