NCW team to probe police torture of Bengal woman: BJP

Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) A National Commission for Women (NCW) team will visit West Bengal to probe the alleged torture of a woman by police, state BJP president Rahul Sinha, who had sought the panel's intervention, said here Wednesday.

A homemaker in Birbhum district has alleged that a police team accompanied by local Trinamool Congress leaders Jan 17 forcibly took her away to a jungle and tortured her to extract information about her nephew, a local BJP leader wanted over his alleged involvement in clashes in Parui.

The woman claimed her entire body was slashed with blades and nettle leaves rubbed in her private parts.

"On the basis of our complaint, an NCW team will visit Bengal Jan 23 to meet the victim and probe the incident," Sinha told media persons.

Slamming the Mamata Banerjee government for not taking any action, Sinha alleged that the woman was being offered money to deter her from seeking legal recourse.

"I have come across reports that the woman has been offered Rs.15 lakh for not approaching the court. I would urge the government, that it should instead focus on providing a compensation of Rs.10 lakh that we have demanded for the victim," he said.

While the Calcutta High Court bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalyo Bagchi have taken suo motu cognizance of the matter, the woman will be approaching the court with pleas of gang rape and police inaction.

The state government had told the court Tuesday that it will be handing over the probe to the Criminal Investigation Department.