Some of the accused in the double rape and alleged murder of the teenager in Madhyamgram are the sort of people you and I need every day: driver, fishmonger, small trader.... Metro finds out more.
Ratan Sil, 32
nCharged with murder and criminal intimidation.
nYounger son of the landlady who had set a month’s deadline for the family to vacate the house.
Lives in: The colony near the airport where the girl’s family had shifted to flee Madhyamgram, where she had been raped twice.
Profession: Drives a car of a resident of Birati.
Role in the crime: Ratan allegedly threatened the family regularly to vacate the room with a tiled roof for which they paid Rs 2,000 a month. He has now been charged with sprinkling kerosene on the girl on December 23 and setting her on fire.
Minta Sil, 30
nCharged with murder and criminal intimidation.
nRatan’s cousin and a friend of prime accused Sanjib Talukdar, alias Chhotu.
Profession: Drives a taxi; uses the same stand near the airport where the victim’s father parked his cab.
Lives in: The same area in Madhyamgram where the girl used to live before shifting to Dum Dum.
Role in the crime: Accused of visiting the girl’s house frequently and threatening her family, spreading canards about her and making life difficult for the family in the Dum Dum neighbourhood. Finally, sprinkling kerosene on the girl and setting her ablaze. The girl’s parents have accused him of instigating neighbours against the family.
Sanjib Talukdar, 23
nPrime accused in the abduction and rape. Some people have said Sanjib, alias Chhotu, was known to the girl.
Profession: Sells fish in a Madhyamgram market.
Lives: Fifty metres from the house where the girl’s family lived in Madhyamgram.
Role in the crime: Accused of taking advantage of the acquaintance and asking the girl out, saying her father was waiting at a tea stall and had sent for her.
Once she stepped out, five others allegedly joined him and dragged her to a field where she was gang-raped. He is said to have raped her again after she lodged a police complaint against him and his friends.
Palash Debnath, 22
nCharged with abduction and rape.
nSanjib’s friend. According to some, he used to be seen drinking in the open with Sanjib.
Profession: Small trader.
Lives: A five-minute walk from what used to be the girl’s house in Madhyamgram.
Role in the crime: Accused of rape.
Papai Roy, 22
nCharged with abduction and rape.
nKnown troublemaker in the area. Often seen drinking on the road in broad daylight, say local residents. Few dared to protest.
Profession: Small-time extortionist; active in collecting puja subscriptions.
Lives: A few houses away from Sanjib.
Role in the crime: Accompanied Sanjib to the courtyard of the victim’s house and joined hands with others while she was being dragged away. One of the alleged rapists.
Gopal Das, 23
@ Charged with abduction and rape
@ Sanjib’s friend; local tough
Profession: Supplies fish to roadside eateries
Lives in: The same area
Role in the crime: Did not go up to the girl’s house but allegedly joined them later.
Chhotu Mandal, 22
@ Charged with abduction and rape
@ Sanjib’s friend; local people say he extorts money from his bread-earner mother for a drink
Profession: Small-time land broker
Lives: A few houses from Minta’s
Role in the crime: Allegedly waited for the girl outside when Sanjib went to call her.
Anthony Sachhi, 21
@ Charged with abduction and rape
@ Sanjib’s friend
Profession: Fish trader in Sanjib’s bazaar
Lives: Five minutes from the victim’s house
Role in the crime: Among those who waited for the girl outside.
Ends.
Gopal Das, 23
nCharged with abduction and rape.
nSanjib’s friend; local tough.
Profession: Supplies fish to roadside eateries.
Lives in: The same area.
Role in the crime: Joined the other accused later.
Chhotu Mandal, 22
nCharged with abduction and rape.
nSanjib’s friend.
Profession: Land broker.
Lives: A few houses away from Minta.
Role in the crime: Allegedly waited for the girl outside when Sanjib went to call her.
Anthony Sachhi, 21
nCharged with abduction and rape.
nSanjib’s friend.
Profession: Fish trader.
Lives: Near the victim’s house.
Role in the crime: Lay in wait for the girl.
