Cong leader's pregnant widow tortured by in-laws

MALDA, June 11: The pregnant widow of Congress leader Pranay Das alias Bapi is undergoing treatment at the Malda district hospital after she was critically injured by her in-laws. It has been alleged that Mrs Chumki Das's in-laws had been torturing her ever since her husband's death a few months ago. Despite complaints lodged with police no action was taken due to alleged political interference. Mrs Das's family members alleged that her in-laws had forced her to abort her child to deprive her of right to the family property. Finally, Mrs Das was driven out of their home on 7 June. The elder brother of Pranay Das had allegedly beaten her up severely. Mrs Ela Haldar, resident of Hooghly district, lodged an FIR with the English Bazaar police station yesterday yet again and has appealed to the Malda police, the human rights commission and the chief minister seeking justice. Mrs Das had sought help from several Congress leaders including the English Bazaar MLA Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, a friend of her husband. But nobody wished to help her out. A group of people spotted Mrs Das in a critical condition on Rabindra Avenue in English Bazaar town and rushed her to the Malda district hospital on 9 June. “The English Bazaar MLA told us that they would look into matter and settle the dispute”, said a police officer of English Bazaar police station. n SNS