In an act of savagery, a band of dacoits allegedly gang-raped a septuagenarian nun at Gangapur Convent in Nadia district late on Saturday triggering blockade of road and rail tracks by a shocked and enraged public. The State Government swiftly ordered a CID probe into the incident.
Reports said the dacoits broke into the convent at Gangapur under Ranaghat sub-division around 12:30 am and raped the 71-year-old nun after gagging her. They later decamped with cash worth Rs12 lakh from the convent’s almirah.
The traumatised and critically hurt nun was later taken to Ranaghat Hospital by the school authorities. Aggrieved guardians of students began blocking the arterial NH 34 and Sealdah-Ranaghat rail tracks from noon as the news spread like wildfire in the locality.
Condemning the horrific incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a CID probe and said “swift and strong” action will be taken against the culprits. District Magistrate PB Salim, who rushed to the spot, said, “We are yet to get a full picture of the incident.”
Meanwhile, Nadia district SP Arnab Ghosh on Sunday announced that a reward of Rs1 lakh would be given to any individual who gave credible information to help the police arrest the rapists whose crime was captured by the CC TV cameras of the convent. "A reward of Rs1 lakh would be given to anyone who will give correct and relevant information," Ghosh told reporters.
Archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D’Souza said the miscreants also ransacked the chapel and holy items kept in the convent.
“Besides the brutality, what is also shocking for us is why they ransacked the chapel, which is like a small church and damaged the sacramental bread which is used in the Holy CommunionIJ It is very sacred for us,” D’Souza said.
However, in a bid to hide the rising crimes in the State, Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim claimed that attempts were being made to inject religious fanaticism. Terming the incident as an “attack on humanity”, Hakim said the CM has ordered a CID probe. The CPI(M) condemned the alleged gangrape of the nun and blamed the police administration for not acting against the culprits of crimes against women.
“It is a condemnable incident. Incidents of rape have become a daily affair as the police administration in the last four years have not taken any action against the culprits who are accused of perpetuating crimes against women during this Trinamool Congress rule,” CPI(M) State secretary and party Politburo member Surya Kanta Mishra told reporters.
“The inaction of the police against the culprits has made them more audacious as they know the police will not take any action against them,” said Mishra, who is also the leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly.
After visiting the spot at Gangapur, D’Souza said the attackers also took away a cup and threw away the holy water from it.
“We do not know what their motive was but they have ransacked the school and also the chapel, which is very shocking for us. It is only after investigations that it will be clear as to what was the motive behind the attack,” he said, condemning the brutal incident.
Demanding swift action from the police in the case, D’Souza said the school authorities have the CCTV footage where faces of the perpetrators can be seen.
Herod Mullick, State working president of the Bangiya Christiya Pariseba, a united State forum of all denominational Christians, said attacks against Christians have been increasing in different parts of the State.
He said the Sister Superior of the school had sought police protection after she got life threats. “We strongly condemn the incident and demand immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the miscreants,” Mullick added.
In another development, a 22-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped and tried to kill her by three persons in South 24 Parganas district on Sunday, police said. All the three accused were arrested after woman's family lodged a complaint, police added.
The woman was allegedly gangraped by three persons and they also tried to kill her by slashing her stomach with a knife, they said. Villagers found the woman lying in a pool of blood and rushed her to Canning Hospital. As the woman's condition was serious, the Canning Hospital referred her to National Medical College Hospital, Kolkata, where the woman has been admitted.