2 minors gang-raped in Jalpaiguri, one kills self

Jalpaiguri: Two minor tribal girls were gang-raped over two days by five men in Nabagram village of Jalpaiguri. After being freed by the gang, the cousin sisters consumed pesticide. The older girl aged 16 succumbed on Monday in a Siliguri hospital while the 14 year-old is battling for life.
The girls went missing on Friday after stepping out of their homes, in Rajganj police station limits of Sanyasikata gram panchayat, near the Indo-Bangladesh border.On returning home on Sunday, they fell ill and told family members that they had consumed poison as they had been raped. The deceased girl’s elder sister lodged an FIR on Monday night.
“The cousin sisters, while returning from a nearby shop, were picked up by five people, all from the same neighbourhood. They were taken to a nearby tea garden and raped. My sister could identify four of them,” said the 14-year-old girl’s elder brother.
Jalpaiguri SP Pradeep Kumar Yadav said: “A specific case has been started under Pocso Act.” Three of the suspects identified as Shiva Biswas, Bapi Biswas and Chayan Barman have been arrested and booked under IPC sections 342, 376DA, 306, 34, and 6/17 of Pocso Act. A Pocso court remanded them in police custody for seven days.
“Among the two who are at large, one may be a minor. The victims’ family did not inform police when the girls did not return home. It was only after the elder girl died that the family lodged an FIR,” Yadav said.