Somnath Chatterjee demands exemplary punishment

Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee today demanded exemplary punishment for the accused in the "barbaric act" of gang-rape of a 20-year-old tribal girl by 13 people on the order of a kangaroo court at Labhpur village in Birbhum district.
"We feel concerned and worried. We feel ashamed that such a barbaric thing has happened. I don't know which way we are going! Exemplary punishment has to be given to those involved in such an act," Chatterjee said.
He also said that it was unbelievable and unthinkable that the police had not asked for police remand of the 13 accused (yesterday).

The chairman of the state women and child welfare department, A Sengupta, visited the victim in a Suri hospital today and said she was now stable.
He also assured all sorts of help to the tribal girl from the government.
Sources in the Suri hospital said that the medical tests were being conducted on the gangrape victim. She was now stable and eating food.

The girl was gang-raped on the order of the kangaroo court when she had expressed her inability to pay Rs 50,000 demanded as fine for falling in love with a man from another community.
"The morol (village headman) ordered that I be 'enjoyed' by the men of the village. Following his orders, at least 13 people, including (some) members of a single family, took turns to rape me. I lost count of how many times I was raped," said the victim.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday shunted out Birbhum Superintendent of Police C Sudhakar for failing to seek police remand for the 13 accused in the gang-rape which has sparked a public outrage.