Jalpaiguri, May 16 -- Swapna Barman, the first Indian heptathlete to win a gold medal at the Asian Games and the TMC candidate of Rajganj Assembly for the recently concluded Assembly election, has lodged a complaint at the Jalpaiguri Kotwali Police Station seeking police protection after allegedly receiving threats of gang rape along with an incident of arson at her residence in Jalpaiguri.
The incident, which reportedly took place on Friday night, has triggered political reactions and widespread discussion on social media. Minister of the Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, Agnimitra Paul, has assured that law will take its course and persons found guilty will be punished accordingly.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has vehemently condemned the incident, stating that this cannot be allowed to become the "new normal".
According to allegations raised by Barman, at around 9 pm on Friday, miscreants set fire to a room adjacent to her residence in Ghosh Para, Kaliyaganj. The room, which is part of the family's old house, is currently occupied by her younger brother. Swapna also alleged that some youths have also threatened to gang rape her.
After receiving information, personnel from the Jalpaiguri Kotwali Police Station, along with the fire brigade, rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.
Following the incident, Swapna shared a post on social media, writing: "Had I known this would happen, I truly would not have come into politics. Today, they even set my house on fire." Her statement quickly went viral and sparked reactions from political circles.
On Saturday, Swapna formally submitted a complaint at the police station seeking security for herself and her family. Speaking about the incident, she said: "I am an athlete, and I never imagined politics could be this cruel. Today, I am living with insecurity. I have been threatened on the streets. I joined politics to serve people. If such situations arise after losing an election, then will any other woman come forward in future? I never thought politics would be like this, but I will continue my struggle."
Meanwhile, several neighbours and local residents staged a protest outside the Jalpaiguri Kotwali Police Station on Saturday and also lodged a counter-complaint. They alleged that Swapna Barman and her brothers often threatened people in the locality. According to them, Friday night's incident was related to a family dispute involving her brothers, and attempts were being made to give it a political colour.
Amarnath K, Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri said: "No one was staying in Swapna Barman's old tin-roofed house. A stockpile of firewood kept beside the house had caught fire and was later extinguished by the fire brigade. Some partially burnt documents were recovered from the spot. We have received two complaints regarding the incident, and an investigation has been started."
Reacting to the allegations, Agnimitra Paul said strict action should be taken against anyone found guilty of setting fire to Swapna's house. She added that harassment or violence in the name of politics would not be tolerated.
Abhishek Banerjee wrote on social media: "The BJP government must answer. This cannot become the new normal. If supporting the Trinamool Congress now means risking your safety, your family and even your home, where are we headed as a nation? If this is how an athlete who brought glory to India is treated for her political choices, the state of democracy should worry every Indian."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.