And now a very public case of sexual assault over a period of years comes to light in Kolkata: A woman accused a man who she met on social media of repeatedly raping and blackmailing her. The police have launched a police investigation and the case was transferred to the appropriate jurisdiction for further action.
The woman first came to know about the accused about seven years ago via social media. The two developed a friendship and traveled together on several occasions. One of those trips, the accused sexually violated her in a hotel room without her consent, she said.
The complaint also alleges that the accused secretly took pictures and videos during the assault. The photos and videos were then used to blackmail her and sexually assault her for years to come, she said. She said that the accused threatened to publish private material if she wouldn’t comply with his demands.
Police officials said a Zero FIR was registered at the Metiabruz Police Station after the woman approached authorities. A Zero FIR allows police to register a complaint regardless of where the alleged crime took place, and so investigations can begin without delay.
After the initial investigation, the case was transferred to Bansdroni Police Station as the accused resides in Brahmapur, which is under its jurisdiction and part of the alleged offences are said to have occurred there.
Officials said that an investigation has been started and statements are being recorded. So far no arrests have been made and police are looking into all available evidence of blackmail through photographs and videos.
Criminals are once again putting up hurdles in cyberspace, where online friendships are exploited, coercion and abuse. Residents should be on guard when interacting with strangers online and do report any harassment or blackmail within 24 hours, the police warned.
The latest attack came just a day after another shocking crime struck West Bengal. In South 24 Parganas, an 11-year-old girl from Baruipur was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered after she went out to buy a birthday gift for her friend. Then her body was recovered from a pond near her home and there was a burst of public anger and anti-government protests in the area.
The police arrested three accused in the Baruipur case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. One of the key accused was later killed by the police after attempting to snatch a weapon from officers and open fire while crime scene reconstruction was going on.
With two serious cases coming in a short span, concerns over women’s safety and crimes against children have once again come into sharp focus in West Bengal. Both investigations are being thoroughly conducted and those charged will be held to account, the authorities said.
