Bengal Rape Survivors Move SC Against TMC Workers, Demand Probe In Post-Poll Violence

Two gang-rape survivors, a 60-year-old woman and a 17-year-old minor from West Bengal, have moved the Supreme Court and sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into incidents of sexual violence they were victims of during the state assembly elections.

The Apex Court will hear the plea on Tuesday, June 15.

The two alleged they were gang-raped by Trinamool Congress (TMC) members after the poll results were out. The duo has also sought a probe into the alleged inaction of the police, NDTV reported.

In the application submitted to the Apex Court, both have described their ordeal. The minor girl belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and was allegedly raped in Murshidabad district on May 9. Later, the perpetrators dragged her to the forest area, leaving her to die. The following day, a local party leader allegedly came to her house and threatened to set it on fire if she disclosed the incident to the police, the media reported.

The 60-year-old from the East Midnapore district was allegedly sexually assaulted by five TMC supporters and workers on May 4, in front of her 6-year-old grandson, who also took away valuables, including cash and jewellery.

Both said they were victims of 'politically motivated violence'.

"Never have such cruel crimes being committed against a citizen for her family's participation in the democratic process," the media quoted the woman as saying. Of the five accused, the police have named only one in the FIR, she added.

Earlier, the top court had issued a notice to the Centre and the West Bengal government on a petition by the families of the two victims who died in the post-poll violence. The gang-rape survivors want to be a party to the PILs filed by the families of the deceased.

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