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

West Bengal
FF Code
Victim(s)
Perpetrator(s)
Location
Date of incident : 14/04/2005
: W.B./MON (Susmita Roy Choudhury)/
District-24 PGS(S)/Sep-13/09/2006/SL.
NO.—09; W.B./ MON (Susmita Roy
Choudhury)/ 24 PGS(S)
/ Feb-10/02/2007/Sl.No.-30
: 1) Sabita Adhikari; 2) Sankar Adhikari
: 1) Mahapatra, Inspector-in-Charge
Maheshtala PS Kolkata; 2) POs
Maheshtala PS
: Ghuripara village, Maheshtala,
South 24 Parganas district
100
Annual Report on Torture
2007
Case Details:
Victims Sabita Adhikari and Sankar Adhikari completely paid the seller for a piece of property
near here house in Ghuripara village, Maheshtala, South 24 Parganas District. Sankar proceeded
to build a shop on the property.
On 14 April 2005, the seller and his wife, along with Maheshtala PS police officers and some
locals, tried to forcibly remove the Adhikaris and their family from the property.
On 17 April 2005, the seller and his wife, along with a group of 70-80 persons, damaged the
Adhikaris’ house and stole gold ornaments, utensils, and some documents. They also
demolished the Adhikaris’ shop. A Maheshtala PS police officer who was present did nothing to
stop these actions, and actually initiated a false criminal proceeding against the Adhikaris.
Sabita complained to the Maheshtolla PS Inspector-in-Charge Mahapatra, who took her to the
doctor for a medical check-up. He also visited the property, but only after the seller, his wife, and
the looters had left. Sabita complained to Inspector-in-Charge Mahapatra again, but he ordered
her to leave his office after making her sign a blank piece of paper.
The seller continued to threaten the Adhikaris, and he hired a known criminal to oust them from
their property. The criminal and his men have staged continous attacks against the Adhikaris,
and have attempted to murder and rape them. The criminal and his men told the Adhikaris that
the police were at their beck and call. Indeed, Inspector-in-Charge Mahapatra and the other
officers took no action in response to Sabita’s complaints regarding the hired criminal’s threats.
On 10 July 2006, at 10:00am, the hired criminal and his men came to the Adhikaris’ property
armed with firearms and other weapons. They demolished the shop with hammers and iron
rods and looted valuable items. The hired criminal attacked Sabita with a sword, wounding her