Ranaghat: A 75-year-old nun was raped early Saturday by a gang of miscreants in Ranaghat, a town in Nadia district of West Bengal.
To protest the incident, local residents began blocking road and railway lines Saturday afternoon.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered the state Criminal Investigation Department to probe the incident. Banerjee also spoke to Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Kolkata.
“We have ordered a CID probe for the Ranaghat Convent incident.CID will be examining all aspects to this horrific crime. Swift, strongest action to be taken,” Banerjee said on social networking site.
Nadia District Magistrate P.B. Salim told reporters that the police are on the lookout for the gang members. “We are yet to get a full picture of the incident,” he said.
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, condemned the incident as “ruthless inhuman acts” that shamed all Indians. The prelate urged the West Bengal chief minister to take appropriate action to book the culprits and provide adequate security and protections to nuns and religious institutions.
According to the school authorities, the gang broke into the convent a little after midnight and three or four of them raped the elderly nun after gagging her.
The school hostel authorities took the nun to Ranaghat Hospital in the morning where she was reportedly undergoing surgery. Her condition was stated to be stable.
The gang took away 1.2 million rupees kept in a locker and desecrated the convent chapel by throwing the sacred Hosts on the floor. They also destroyed property and took away a laptop, a mobile phone, chalices and ciborium.
Aggrieved parents began blocking the arterial NH 34 and Sealdah-Ranaghat rail tracks as the news spread in the locality.
Condemning the incident Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee said that the people would not tolerate such incidents. The culprits will be given strictest punishment, he added.
The robbers first entered the Jesus and Mary School and ransacked its office room.
They then went to the nearby convent and entered the superior’s room, where they assaulted and gangraped the ailing nun. The robbers also tied up three of the five nuns in the house before entering the principal’s room and ransacked it.
Proceeding to the chapel, the robbers desecrated the sacred Hosts by throwing them on the floor and
Earlier they had disconnected two of the three telephone lines, indicating their plan to attack the nuns and rob them. Out of the 12 CCTVs, only four were found to be functioning.
The Church people have contacted Member of Parliament Derek O’Brien who in turn informed the Director General of Police and a probe started.
In solidarity with the affected nuns, Calcutta archdiocese has announced a protest rally at 4:30 p.m. on March 16. The venue is yet to be finalized.
The diocesan officials said they expect Christians of all denominations to attend the protest. They also plan more protests later.
In solidarity with the affected nuns, Calcutta archdiocese has announced a protest rally at 4:30 p.m. on March 16. The venue is yet to be finalized.
The diocesan officials said they expect Christians of all denominations to attend the protest. They also plan more protests later.