Katwa gangrape: Warrant on cop

BURDWAN: A Katwa trial court judge has issued an arrest warrant against the investigating officer of the February 25, 2012, Katwa gangrape case for failing to appear in court four times in succession.
SI Tushar Kanti Sardar, now posted at CID’s headquarters at Bhawani Bhawan, had then probed the case as the OC of Katwa GRP station. The judge has also asked DIG-CID to produce the officer before it on March 2.
The woman, who had lost her husband — allegedly a local CPM leader — about 11 years ago, used to stitch clothes to earn a living. On that day, she had boarded the train on the Ahmedpur Katwa narrow-gauge line from Kirnahar station in Birbhum along with her 11-year-old daughter.
After the train crossed Pachundi station, a group of armed dacoits stormed into the train and looted passengers near Ambalgram. Later, they pulled the chain to stop the train and decamp.
The victim was forced out of the train at gunpoint and was gangraped near a bush beside the railway tracks in the evening.
Both Katwa GRP and Ketugram police started probing the case. Later, Sardar was made the IO. The victim’s advocate, Dhirendranath Banerjee, alleged that the trial process was getting delayed due to continuous absence of Sardar.
District and sessions judge Pareshchandra Karmakar then issued an arrest warrant against Sardar.