03-West Bengal Report.pdf - People's watch

The next day, Dipak Maity went to his father-in-law’s house in search of Arati Maity; however, she
was not there. Dipak Maity and his father-in-law Pancha Mridha went to Ultadanga PS to lodge
a complaint. The police told them that they had found a dead body with burns covering 90% of it
and its throat cut. Pancha Mridha identified the body as his daughter’s.
Pancha Mridha lodged a complaint against Dipak Maity and his family members at Ultadanga
PS.
On 12 November 2007, the police arrested some of the family members. The arrest report
wrongly shows their arrest as dated 13.11.07.
On 13 November 2007, the police filed a case (vide Ultadanga PS, Case No. Section-2.159,
dated 13.11.07) u/s 498A, 306, and 341 IPC.
On 14 November 2007, the police were reluctant to produce the arrestees before the court, only
acting after public protests.
The police filed the case as a suicide pursuant to abuse, despite that the body was burnt and had
its throat cut.
FF Code : W.B./MON(Susmita Roy Choudhury)/24 PGS (s)
/July-30/07/07/Sl.No-76
Victim(s) : Santi Das
Perpetrator(s) : 1) Amit Roy Choudhury, Officer in Charge,
Bishnupur PS; 2) POs, Bishnupur PS,
Location : Bishnupur PS
Date of incident : 30/06/2007
West Bengal
179
Case Details:
Victim Santi Das, age 60, lived in Doulatabad village in Paraganas District. Das’ family had a
long standing feud with her neighbor’s family. Das’ neighbors had influence with the Bishnupur
PS, where Amit Roy Choudhury was the Officer in Charge.
On 30 June 2007, Das’ neighbors attacked Das’ house with some sharp and dull weapon and
started beating Santi’s family members indiscriminately. Das’ neighbors seriously injured Das
and her daughter in the attack. The neighbors also injured some of the children in Das’ family.
Das’ son-in-law attempted to lodge a complaint with the Bishnupur PS, but the police refused to
accept it. Instead, they only entered a General Diary entry and the Bishnupur PS have never
initiated a corresponding investigation.
Das’ neighbors became more aggressive after learning that the Bishnupur PS was not taking
any action against them.
Annual Report on Torture
2007