BJP Panchayat Member's Husband Accused of Assaulting Four-Month Pregnant Woman in Bengal's Dinhata

The husband of a BJP panchayat member and his associates have been accused of assaulting a four-month pregnant woman during a village mediation meeting in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, police said on Saturday. The BJP has denied the allegations.

The incident reportedly took place in a village under the jurisdiction of Dinhata police station. Police have registered a case following a complaint from the woman's family and initiated an investigation.

A Cooch Behar district police official said the victim had been questioned and was receiving medical treatment at Dinhata Sub-District Hospital.

"The victim was spoken to and she is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Everything is being investigated. A case has been lodged and investigation has begun," the officer said.

The woman alleged that Bhabasindhu Barman, husband of local panchayat member Bina Barman, and his associates assaulted her husband during the meeting. She claimed that she was also beaten when she intervened to protect him.

She told reporters that she was taken to Dinhata Sub-District Hospital later that night, where an ultrasound examination was conducted the following afternoon.

BJP Denies Allegations

BJP's Sitai Assembly constituency mandal president, Shanku Sarkar, rejected the allegations and said the meeting had been organised to discuss a case involving an alleged extramarital relationship.

According to Sarkar, the mediation meeting was held at the residence of the panchayat member, with two other BJP gram panchayat members also present.

He maintained that discussions took place but denied that anyone was assaulted, describing the allegations as baseless.

The woman's family lodged a formal complaint at Dinhata police station on Friday afternoon, naming several people, including the BJP panchayat member.

Incident Follows Attack on Another Pregnant Woman

The latest allegation comes about a week after another incident in Dinhata in which the brother-in-law of a Trinamool Congress panchayat member and his eight-month pregnant wife were allegedly attacked by BJP leaders and workers in Kuchni village, under Barashakdal gram panchayat.

The woman subsequently delivered a stillborn baby at Dinhata Sub-District Hospital, triggering widespread concern.

A complaint was filed against eight people in connection with that incident. Sahebganj police arrested two accused, while the remaining suspects were reported to be absconding.

The latest case has once again brought political tensions in Dinhata into focus as police investigate the allegations.