New Delhi: The National Commission for Women has directed West Bengal's Alipurduar Superintendent of Police to appear before it virtually on Wednesday, June 16, in connection with a case of a woman who was allegedly beaten up and paraded naked.

The commission, in a statement, said that it has taken cognisance of a report on the incident in north Bengal's Alipurduar which went viral in the form of a video on social media.

The north Bengal daily Uttar Banga Sambad has reported that the victim is an Adivasi woman. The paper further said that all 12 accused have been held, produced in court and remanded in police custody.

Local media has additionally reported that the incident took place last Thursday, June 10, in the West Chengmari village of Alipurduar district's Kumargram block. A woman had allegedly returned home to the village after having been away for a while. Locals, suspecting that she had been having an affair, dragged her out of her house at midnight, beat her up brutally, forcibly tonsured her and paraded her naked. A video of the incident was circulated on social media.

However, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma has also written to the West Bengal director general of police to direct officials to take immediate action for arresting those involved in the matter.

"The NCW has also directed the SP of Alipurduar district to appear virtually before the commission on June 16 at 12:30 pm to apprise it of the status update in the matter," the statement said.

Calling it "laxity" and "dereliction of duties" on part of the police, the NCW said the police did not take immediate and prompt action in the matter.

(With PTI inputs)

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