New Delhi: Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were arrested over the alleged rape of a woman who was trying to illegally enter Bangladesh from India, a senior official of the paramilitary organisation said on Saturday.
According to a report by news agency PTI, a BSF assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a constable were arrested late on Friday night and handed over to West Bengal Police for further legal action, the official said.
"The BSF constable apprehended a tout and a woman trying to illegally enter Bangladesh from India. He dragged the woman to a nearby field and allegedly raped her, while the ASI helped him commit the crime," PTI quoted the official as saying.
The incident, that took place early on August 26 near Bagda border outpost in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, came to light after the woman lodged a police complaint, the official said.
Based on the complaint, the official, of the BSF’s South Bengal frontier, said that the accused have been suspended and a court of inquiry has been ordered.
TMC Slams Centre, PM Modi Over Incident
Meanwhile, this incident has triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former slamming the saffron party over the issue of women safety in the country.
It is to be noted that the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has repeatedly disapproved of the Centre's call to extend the BSF's jurisdiction from 15km to 50km from the international border.
"Our country is becoming increasingly UNSAFE for women under @BJP4India's misrule! Mr @AmitShah, under your watch, BSF Officer & Jawan raped a woman; threatened her with consequences if she raised her voice. Indeed, a shining example of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'!" the TMC tweeted.
However, reacting to the TMC jibes, the BJP said that the party should not tarnish the image of the entire force based on such isolated incidents.
"Such comments from the TMC are unacceptable. You cannot malign the entire force because of such isolated incidents. The law will take its course if anyone has committed a crime," BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said.