Krishnagar, July 8: Tormented by associates to withdraw a rape case, a trader took an overdose of sleeping pills last night and is now fighting for life.

Prankrishna Biswas, a resident of Nichubazar, about 130 km from Calcutta, had lodged a rape case against another trader, Shibshankar Khanra. Khanra had allegedly raped Biswas’s 20-year-old wife as he had not returned Rs 8,000 he owed him.

Although Biswas’s wife was raped on June 21, he did not lodge a complaint fearing social ostracism. Only after prodding from his wife did Biswas, who runs a poultry shop, do so.

But Khanra’s associates started pressuring him to withdraw the case. On Wedne-sday, some 10 persons attacked the couple. After his wife nagged him for not saving her honour, he took an overdose of sleeping pills.