Ranchi, Aug 31 (PTI) A tale of inhuman torture has unfolded since Sunita, a 29-year-old tribal help who was allegedly held captive at now-suspended BJP leader Seema Patra’s residence in Ranchi, was rescued by the police, an officer here said on Wednesday.
Patra, the wife of a retired IAS officer, was arrested during the day.
Sunita was found in an “indescribable condition” on the night of August 22, Argora Police Station in-charge Vinod Kumar said.
“She had severe wounds and burn marks all over her body, as examined by a woman officer. She looked highly malnourished. She is in a state of trauma. Sunita claimed that she was made to lick her urine… Many of her teeth are missing. She was allegedly hit with iron rods,” Kumar told PTI.
Sunita, who claimed she was held captive for eight years, is now undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here.
The victim’s statement was recorded before a magistrate on Tuesday.
Vivek Basky, a friend of the BJP leader’s son, had approached the police to inform them about Sunita, following which an FIR was registered under various provisions of the SC/ST Act and IPC. The police then conducted a raid at Patra’s Ashok Nagar residence.
A video of Sunita narrating her ordeal had gone viral on social media, following which clamour for Patra’s arrest had grown louder across the state and elsewhere. She was subsequently suspended by the party.
Patra, following her arrest earlier in the day, claimed that she was innocent and “being framed” in the case. She has been sent on 14 days of judicial custody.
A team from the National Commission for Women met Sunita at RIMS to take note of her present condition.
Members of various tribal outfits have also been visiting the hospital to enquire about Sunita since Tuesday.
They demanded stern action against Patra under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Meanwhile, the Congress attacked the BJP over the alleged torture of the woman, claiming humiliating tribals is “in the DNA” of the saffron party.
“Patra took the tribal daughter Sunita hostage, got the floor of the house cleaned with her tongue, stamped her body with a hot pan and made her drink urine. The BJP leader, who committed such a heinous crime, was made the state convener of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao by the party,” AICC spokesperson Gaurav Vallav said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on the plight of Sunita, Vallav claimed, asserting that the tribal society will avenge the humiliation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
JMM chief spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya alleged that the BJP was all out to spoil the social fabric of the country by raising only those incidents in which minority community members are involved and at the same time was maintaining silence on issues involving its leaders.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao said he would be happy to contribute “in his personal capacity” to Sunita’s education as she has wanted to study.
BJP leaders said that the saffron party does not tolerate such incidents and suspended Patra immediately.
Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Tuesday had asked DGP Neeraj Sinha as to why no action was taken against Patra after allegations surfaced that she was torturing her 29-year-old domestic help who is a tribal woman. PTI NAM RMS NN NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.