Kolkata, 9 Nov

A four-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped while she was sleeping beside her parents and subsequently sexually assaulted in West Bengal's Hooghly, officials said on Saturday. Hours later, the girl's grandfather was detained by the cops.

According to police, the incident took place on Friday near Tarakeswar railway station premises where the child's family had been taking shelter. In a complaint filed later, the family alleged that the girl was taken from under her mosquito net -- reportedly slit open -- while she was asleep and then sexually assaulted.

Panic broke out when the child was found missing at dawn. After hours of searching, relatives discovered her in a bloodied state near a drain beside the station that afternoon.

According to Parna Adak, secretary of the BJP's Arambagh district, the child was found in a naked state, bleeding, with bite marks on her cheek. "Despite hours of treatment, she is still bleeding from her genitals," Adak said.

The girl was rushed to Tarakeswar Rural Hospital where doctors provided first aid before discharging her.

The family accused hospital staff of mishandling the case, claiming the girl was bleeding from her private parts and that authorities failed to immediately alert the police. They said when they later approached the police station, officials allegedly asked them to leave.

Police brought the child back to the hospital for further medical tests, prompting BJP leaders and workers to storm the premises in protest. They accused both police and doctors of negligence.

Local TMC MLA Ramendu Singha Roy told PTI, “It is a shocking incident, but it took place in an area under the jurisdiction of the Railways. There should be more security measures and surveillance on the part of the rail police. We stand with the girl’s family, and the police have started a probe.”

National Commission for Women member Archana Majumdar said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident, but “we will examine the legal parametres, as it also comes under the jurisdiction of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. If permitted, I will visit the family in a day or two”.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged that the Tarakeshwar Police were initially reluctant to register an FIR over the incident.

BJP activists also staged a protest demonstration outside the Tarakeshwar police station, demanding stringent punishment for the perpetrators.

In another case, A pro-Bengali advocacy group on Sunday staged a rally at Dumdum here demanding exemplary punishment for three youths accused of sexually torturing a 14-year-old girl in the area recently.

The accused, Rajesh Paswan, Vicky Paswan, and Sanju Sai, are in police custody in connection with the alleged abduction and assault of the class 8 student, who was allegedly taken to a hideout while returning from tuition and later dropped near her residence in the last week of October.

They have been booked under the POCSO Act.

PTI