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Tribal woman gang-raped, then 'fined' by kangaroo court in Bengal
PTI
Last Updated IST
"I'll try to recover and do my best to be prepared for the grass season already."
"I'll try to recover and do my best to be prepared for the grass season already."

A 32-year-old tribal woman and her boyfriend were allegedly captured, kept in confinement for a day, and then she was gang-raped in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said on Monday.

Later, a kangaroo court asked the woman and her boyfriend, who is a non-tribal, to pay a "fine" of Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively, she alleged.

Police said they have arrested five persons in connection with the incident.

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The woman, a widow with three children, was returning home in the Mohammadbazar area on her boyfriend's bike on the evening of August 18 when they were stopped by a few men, she alleged in the police complaint that was filed on Saturday.

They were kept confined in a room that night and next day she was taken to a nearby forest area and allegedly gang- raped by five men, police said.

"All the five accused have been arrested," Subimal Paul, additional superintendent of police of Birbhum district, said.

They were then fined by the kangaroo court that was held in the woman's village, as per the police complaint.

"Investigation has also been initiated into the alleged kangaroo court," the officer said.

The local media reported that she was allegedly raped and fined as she was dating a non-tribal but there was no official confirmation on this.

Police said they are investigating the matter and a case has been registered.

All the five accused have been accused of gang rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation in the FIR registered by police.

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(Published 24 August 2020, 22:36 IST)