Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 22: Three recently converted Christian families were allegedly assaulted, one of the persons forced to take a “purification bath” in public and were compelled to perform some puja rituals at a Durga puja pandal asking them to renounce their faith, in their village in Paschim Medinipur in West Bengal.
The incidents took place under the Chandrakona police limits during the three days of Durga puja from October 18 forcing the police to deploy security personnel near their house. The victims, however, said, they still feared further attacks. The police have registered a case on charges including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, outraging a woman’s modesty, and robbery.
The aggrieved families, which have been residing in the area for the past 30 years and converted to Christianity around 18 months ago, have also complained to police that they were forced to participate in certain religious rituals against their wishes, a senior police officer said on Thursday.
Nine members of the families, residing in Chandrakona, have claimed in their police complaint that the group on October 18 and 19 assaulted and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not recant Christianity, the officer said.
“A woman of one family reportedly lost consciousness after assault. A girl of another family was also allegedly assaulted and threatened. They were also allegedly forced to participate in religious rituals against their wishes, she said, citing the police complaints.
The police officer said the accused group had allegedly warned the families not to approach police over the matter. “A case has been initiated against people named by the families in their complaint. We are unable to disclose the names for the sake of our investigation,” she said, adding that all nine members of the aggrieved families were escorted to the police station where they lodged the complaint.
“They have gone back home, and police personnel have been posted in their area to prevent any untoward incident. The situation is totally under control,” the police officer said. She said police were probing whether the incident stemmed from a local dispute, an old family feud or any other reason. “We are probing all possible angles. We do not know which political affiliation the accused people belong to. We will come out with every possible detail after the investigation is over,” she added.
Recounting the incidents, a 40-year-old woman among the victims said, “Around 3.30 pm on October 18, the miscreants came to my house, dragged me and my husband out, and beat us up. I fell to the ground. They tore my clothes. Then they made me eat Tulsi and Bel leaves and poured water on me as a purification ritual. Everyone watched while they poured water on me.”
The woman and her husband, 50, make copper jewellery at home to earn a living. The complainant alleged that the assailants also pressured her family members to abandon their faith. The assailants allegedly entered the houses of two other families later and beat up their members. They took away Rs 20,000 from the house and threatened them not to approach the police.
“However, we later dialled 100, and some police personnel came. They heard us verbally and left. On October 19, in the morning, the group returned, infuriated that we had called the police. They took us to a Durga mandap in a nearby village and made us offer anjali. Everyone was watching us. We came back and locked ourselves inside our houses. We dared not venture out,” the woman added.
The complainant wrote that the Durga Puja pandal was a 10-minute walk away from her house. According to her, the assailants also attacked a minor girl of one of the two other Christian families in the neighbourhood. The next day, on October 20, the menfolk of the three families were allegedly threatened.
“They picked my husband and men from the other families. When they returned home, they were crying. They were threatened. It was a horrific three days. We could not leave our houses out of fear. We sent three minor girls to our relative’s house. Then I called up community members who asked me to call the police again. Finally, the police came and took us to a local hospital for treatment. Then we lodged a formal complaint,” said the woman.
“Now there are four policemen posted outside our houses for security. We are happy the police helped us. But threat calls are coming. One day the police will leave. What will we do then? I just want to live at my house peacefully. I have a sick father-in-law and an elderly mother-in-law at home,” said the woman.
An advocate practising in the Calcutta High Court, who helped the victims, said the police had acted fast, adding that they registered an FIR after he visited the police station on October 20. “However, the culprits are yet to be arrested and the families are in fear,” he said.