Behrampore, Oct. 23: A teenaged girl who was to be engaged tomorrow was allegedly thrashed by a police team that apparently mistook her for the sister of a thief they were out to catch.

This morning, two policemen went to Hatpara village in Murshidabad to arrest Moti Sheikh, wanted for a petty theft. While Moti’s wife and sister resisted the policemen, he escaped.

Around noon, a larger team, this time with two policewomen among them, was sent to the village, over 200km from Calcutta. The two policemen from whose clutches Moti had escaped were not part of this team.

But the police by mistake entered a neighbour’s house where 15-year-old Atisa Begum was cooking rice. They allegedly beat her up and took her to the police station. She was released only after panchayat pradhan Abul Kalam intervened.

“We thought the girl was Moti Sheikh’s sister. But later we found out we have raided the wrong house,” said a policeman.

Atisa’s engagement has been postponed as she is in Behrampore General Hospital now.