'Tortured' women from Sandeshkhali meet PM, seek justice
Barasat (WB), Mar 6 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met a group of women from Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have been levelled.
The women expressed their happiness for meeting the prime minister and said they requested him to ensure that the women of Sandeshkhali get justice.
Modi met them following a public rally at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district where Sandeshkhali is located.
"After the public meeting, the prime minister met a few women from Sandeshkhali. The women spoke about the atrocities they had faced," BJP state general secretary Agnimitra Paul told PTI over the phone.
BJP sources said the women became emotional while narrating their ordeal to the PM who heard them patiently "like a father figure".
He understood their pain, sources said.
Later while speaking to reporters, one of the women from Sandeshkhali said the prime minister gave them a patient hearing as they sought justice from him.
"We requested him to ensure that we get justice as we don't have faith in the state administration. The prime minister, despite his busy schedule, gave us a patient hearing. We narrated our ordeal to him. We hope we will get justice," a women protestor said.
The riverine island of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district has been on the boil over allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing by suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his cohorts.
Modi on Wednesday intensified his criticism of the TMC on the issue of atrocities against women, as he asserted that the "storm of Sandeshkhali" would echo throughout West Bengal, emphasizing that 'Nari Shakti' (woman power) would decimate the TMC in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Addressing a rally in Barasat, the headquarters of North 24-Parganas district, where Sandeshkhali is located, Modi condemned the incidents of violence against women, stating, "Whatever has happened with the women in Sandeshkhali is a matter of shame."
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UP: 90 Bangladeshis, including 28 children, held in Mathura for illegal stay
Mathura (UP), May 16 (PTI): As many as 90 Bangladeshi nationals, including many children, were apprehended from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Friday for alleged illegal stay in India, officials said.
They were taken into custody from local brickyards at Khajpur village under the Naujheel police station limits, a senior officer said.
"Regular searches were being conducted throughout the district. During one such operation, police were searching some local brickyards when they came across Bangladeshi nationals working there," SSP Shlok Kumar said.
Giving a break-up, the officer said in all, 35 men, 27 women and 28 children have been taken into custody.
"During interrogation, all of them admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India. They moved to Mathura three to four months back from a neighbouring state. Police are trying to establish their links," the SSP said, adding that their job contractor and other associates are also being questioned.
The officer told PTI that police also recovered some Aadhaar cards from the Bangladeshi nationals, apparently issued on forged documents in some other state.
Further legal proceedings are underway, Kumar said.
