Woman taken hostage and assaulted by three civic volunteers in Bengal; one held
A woman was held captive and repeatedly assaulted by three civic volunteers in West Bengal, leading to the arrest of one suspect. The incident has sparked political tension, with the Trinamool Congress criticizing the BJP government over women's safety.
Why it matters
The incident underscores critical concerns regarding public safety and the conduct of civic volunteers in West Bengal.
A young woman was allegedly taken captive and raped repeatedly over three days last week by three civic volunteers in Dhupguri, West Bengal, according to local officials.
Police have arrested one of the perpetrators while two others are at large.
According to the officials, the three accused abducted the victim from Mekhliganj village in Cooch Behar and took her to a rented accommodation in Jalpaiguri's Dhupguri locality.
“She was kept hostage for three days and raped repeatedly before being released on Sunday (August 2, 2026). Initially, she was too terrified to approach law enforcement, but she finally lodged an FIR against them on Wednesday (August 5),” stated Jalpaiguri Rural Superintendent of Police Sautam Bandyopadhyay.
Police from Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts have started an investigation. One accused, Bulbul Alam, was arrested on Thursday (August 7) and was sent to police custody for four-days.
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