West Bengal child rights body visits Sandeshkhali to probe reports of abuse

North 24-Parganas (West Bengal) [India], February 17 : Members of the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Saturday arrived in Sandeshkhali to investigate allegations of child abuse.
The WBCPCR team visited Khulna village in Sandeshkhali to investigate a case of violence against a child in the area wherein a woman alleged that miscreants forcibly entered her house, "physically assaulted her and also snatched her infant daughter and callously threw her away."
"The Commission come across a news article regarding Sandeshkhali incident wherein a distressing incident had transpired on February 10, 2024, in which it has been found that a group of miscreants, accompanied by police officials, carried out an assault on the residence of a woman. The report indicates that the miscreants forcibly entered her house, vandalizing both the door and windows. They physically assaulted her, grabbing her by the hand and hair. Shockingly, they also snatched her infant daughter and callously threw her away," NCPCR said in a press release.

"Yesterday evening, we came to know from a news channel that someone had thrown a baby from the mother's lap. That's why we immediately gave a letter to the DM and also sent a letter to the SP saying that we take Suo Moto cognizance and that an injury be held and a report be sent within 24 hours. After that, we thought that we should not wait for the report and felt that we should visit the family ourselves. So we came here to find family and with the family members. We talked with the mother.... They wanted food, medical support and security, and we have provided them with all of that," Tulika Das, Chairperson, WBCPCR, told ANI.
Women in Sandeshkhali have been protesting against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides.
Recently, a BJP delegation tasked with investigating alleged incidents of sexual harassment and violence was stopped by police during their visit to the Sandeshkhali area.
BJP leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul accompanied the six-member delegation to Sandeshkhali.
The BJP delegation also met Governor CV Ananda Bose after being stopped from visiting Sandeshkhali on Friday. After their meeting, a member of the delegation said they would personally interact with the women protesters in the area after securing permission from the Supreme Court.
"Today, we had to return after being blocked midway into our journey to Sandeshkhali. We will move a petition in the Supreme Court, urging that we be allowed to go to Sandeshkhali. We will definitely go there. The way women, children and newlywed brides have been tortured in Sandeshkhali by TMC goons and the police will be highlighted. They will get justice," Annapurna Devi, a member of the BJP delegation, told reporters after visiting the Governor on Friday.
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, who was also a member of the delegation, claimed that Union Ministers such as Annapurna Devi and Pratima Bhowmik were heckled while on their way to Sandeshkhali on Friday.
Veteran actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mithun Chakraborty on Friday lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government in connection with the Sandeshkhali incident and said political parties need to transcend their differences in addressing atrocities.
"There couldn't be a more disgusting thing than this. With women, you're playing such a kind of game? This is unbelievable. We all do politics, but this is beyond politics. This shouldn't happen. We all have the responsibility to raise our voices and to make sure that they don't have to suffer this plight," he said.