Police book BJP leader after mob beats up mentally challenged woman in Jalpaiguri
West Bengal, July 17: Police registered the case after Taramani Roy, vice president of BJP Mahila Morcha, Jalpaiguri district committee was seen in a video where the mob was thrashing Sunita Bakshi (35) in Dhupguri area of Jalpaiguri.
Police in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri town on Tuesday registered a case suo-motu against a BJP leader who allegedly led a mob which tied a mentally challenged woman to a pillar and thrashed her after accusing her of being a child lifter on Monday.
Police registered the case after Taramani Roy, vice president of BJP Mahila Morcha, Jalpaiguri district committee was seen in a video where the mob was thrashing Sunita Bakshi (35) in Dhupguri area of Jalpaiguri.
The incident is the latest in a series of assaults and lynching across the country where people have attacked strangers at the slightest suspicion of them being child lifters.
“A case has been initiated against Taramani Roy under IPC sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 304/511 (attempt to commit culpable homicide),” said Amitabha Maiti, superintendent of police of Jalpaiguri district.
Police said that Roy was on the run.
On Monday evening, residents of Kadamtala village that is a part of ward 9 of Dhupguri civic body confronted Sunita and wanted to know why she was roaming around in the area. Since she could not satisfy them with her answers, people began to suspect she was a child lifter and began beating her before Dhupguri police rescued her.
The police case against Roy triggered a spat between the Trinamool Congress and BJP.
“Taramani Roy led the mob last night. It was clear from the woman’s attire that she was mentally challenged. To attack her suspecting that she is a child lifter is a serious crime,” alleged Rajesh Kumar Singh, Trinamool Congress leader of Jalpaiguri district and vice chairman of Dhupguri municipality.
The BJP insists that Roy actually saved Sunita’s life
Debasis Chakraborty, BJP Jalpaiguri district committee president, claimed, “Had Taramani not intervened the victim would have been lynched by the mob. In a bid to rescue the victim, she could have slapped the victim a couple of times.”
Sunita is currently under the protection of Dhupguri police.
She is a resident of Balagarh in Hooghly district, more than 700 km from where she was assaulted.
“Yesterday she was taken to Dhupguri rural block hospital for treatment after which she was brought to the police station. Today, she was produced before a court in Jalpaiguri where her statement was recorded,” said Sanjay Dutta, inspector-in-charge of Dhupguri police station.
Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
