The Opposition in West Bengal has hit out at the ruling Trinamool Congress after a video clip of a brutal assault on a couple allegedly engaged in a relationship went viral. The man, who was seen in the video beating up the two with a bunch of bamboo sticks, has been identified as Tajmul alias “JCB” – allegedly a local TMC leader of Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district. The incident took place following a decision of a kangaroo court, news agency PTI reported.
HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
While the West Bengal Police on Sunday registered a case over the incident and arrested Tajmul, Chopra MLA Hamidul Rahaman said the woman’s activities were “unsocial”. He, however, denied the TMC having any links with Tajmul.
Hamidul Rahaman said it was a village matter and had nothing to do with the party.
“We condemn the incident. But the woman also did wrong. She left her husband, son, and daughter and became an evil beast. There is some code and justice according to Muslim rashtra. However, we do agree that what happened was a bit extreme. Now, legal action will be taken in this case,” the Trinamool MLA told reporters.
While the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and CPI(M) slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for the incident, the TMC said the matter will be investigated.
Union minister and Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said statements from TMC’s Hamidul Rahaman referring to a “Muslim Rashtra” and discussing punishments under ‘certain rules’ are “deeply concerning”.
“Is TMC declaring West Bengal a state where Sharia law will be applied?” Sukanta Majumdar posted on X.
What Bengal Police said
In a statement, Islampur Police district said, “Efforts are being made from certain quarters to spread misinformation about an incident in Chopra PS under Islampur PD. The fact is, police have promptly identified and arrested one person who had publicly assaulted a lady.”
The statement said the victim couple has been provided with police security.
Islampur Police superintendent Joby Thomas K earlier on Sunday said the police watched the video clip on social media and registered a case after verifying it.
The viral video clip showed the accused beating up the woman, who grimaced in pain, as a large number of people were watching. He was seen pulling her by the hair and kicking her. The accused also thrashed a man with the sticks.
How Opposition reacted
“This is the ugly face of Mamata Banerjee’s rule in West Bengal. The guy in the video, who is beating up a woman mercilessly… is famous for giving quick justice through his ‘insaf’ sabha and is a close associate of Chopra MLA Hamidur Rahaman,” BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya said in a post on X, sharing the video.
He claimed that there is a Sandeshkhali in every village of West Bengal and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is a “curse for women”.
“There is no semblance of law and order in Bengal. Will Mamata Banerjee act against this monster or defend him like she stood up for Sheikh Shahjahan?” Amit Malviya said in the post.
Sheikh Shahjahan is an arrested TMC functionary of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, where allegations of sexual abuse and land grab have been levelled against Trinamool Congress leaders.
Hitting out at the Mamata Banerjee government, CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim said in a post on X, “Not even #KangarooCourt! Summary trial and punishment handed out by d @AITCofficial goon… Literally bulldozer justice at Chopra under @MamataOfficial rule.”
In a later post, Mohammed Salim shared a video in which police personnel, along with the accused, were seen entering Islampur police station.
He claimed, “As usual, the sentry guard was about to offer salute!”
State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that attacks on ordinary people and the TMC’s political opponents continued in West Bengal, though the Trinamool Congress won the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“How can a woman be beaten up in this way? Attack on any woman is barbaric and deplorable,” he asked.
“Such incidents of violence are giving a bad name to West Bengal,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
TMC says couple was in ‘illicit relationship’
Meanwhile, TMC district president Kaniyalal Agarwal attributed the incident to the couple’s alleged illicit relationship, which “did not go down well with the villagers”.
He said that the party would investigate the episode.
TMC spokesperson Shantanu Sen condemned the incident but also pointed out that such kangaroo courts were common during the Left Front regime, too.
