Bastar women accompanying Kerala nuns in Chhattisgarh claim threats, assault by Bajrang Dal and cops

PTI photo

Three women from Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region have approached the State Women’s Commission, alleging that they were subjected to physical and mental harassment by Bajrang Dal members and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel at Durg station last month.

According to a report in The New Indian Express, Kamleshwari Pradhan, Lalita Usendi and Sukmati Mandavi appeared before the Commission in Raipur, where they detailed their ordeal and sought action against those responsible. The women said they were travelling on July 25 with two Catholic nuns from Kerala, who were later arrested on charges of human trafficking and religious conversion. Both nuns were granted bail by a special NIA court in Bilaspur on August 2.

Kiranmayee Nayak, Chairperson of the Chhattisgarh State Women’s Commission, said the complaint named Jyoti Sharma, Ravi Nigam, Ratan Yadav and the GRP incharge at Durg. The women alleged that they were “physically ill-treated, verbally abused and threatened with gang rape in the presence of police personnel.”

When the matter came up before the Commission, the accused did not appear. “The complainants have arrived but the respondents have refused to attend. So, according to our laid down procedures, we will inform them through the concerned police station asking them to be present during the next hearing,” Nayak stated, as per The New Indian Express. She added that the GRP officer would also be summoned.

During preliminary questioning, the three women told Commission members that they wanted a fair and impartial hearing. The Chairperson has also directed the Durg district police chief to provide CCTV footage and other details relating to the July 25 incident.

Family members of the women claimed that they were travelling voluntarily to Agra with the nuns to work in a hospital and that they had embraced Christianity about six years ago. They alleged that Bajrang Dal activists forcibly stopped the group at the station, assaulted the women and hurled abusive remarks. “All three were very scared and remain in shock after the incident,” relatives said, demanding an FIR against the named Bajrang Dal members to prevent similar episodes in the future.

The women had earlier lodged a complaint with the Narayanpur superintendent of police against the activists. The matter is now under the State Women’s Commission’s consideration, with further hearings expected.