Chairperson of National Commission for Women Rekha Sharma is scheduled to visit the strife-torn Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas in West Bengal on Monday. Sharma will be on a two-day visit to the state.

The NCW Chairperson’s visit comes amid the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by the women of Sandeshkhali. Sharma will hold a meeting with the Chief Secretary of West Bengal and DGP West Bengal.

Meanwhile, one of the key accused in the Sandeskhali violence case, Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Prasad Hazra was sent to police custody for eight days by a local court on Sunday.

Hazra, who had been on the run since the allegations of sexual harassment were raised against him, was arrested from a hideout in the Najat area of Basirhat on Saturday.

LATEST UPDATES

1. The Supreme Court on Monday will hear a plea seeking transfer of investigation and the following trial outside West Bengal in connection with the alleged sexual assault of the women of Sandeshkhali.
2. The plea, filed by advocated Alakh Alok Srivastava in his personal capacity, also seeks compensation for the victims of the Sandeshkhali violence and action against officials of the state police for the alleged negligence of duty.
3. National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma is set to visit Sandeshkhali to meet the women there during her two-day visit to the state. She will also hold a meeting with the Chief Secretary and DGP of the state.
4. “As you know, very disturbing news has come from Sandeshkhali… I am going there and I want them (women) to get justice. I will meet the DG and the local police…I want to meet the women and assure them of my support…I will also be meeting the governor…,” Sharma said.
5. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party for having scripted the incident, along with the Enforcement Directorate, in Sandeshkhali.
6. The TMC supremo also said that not a single women in Sandeshkhali has lodged any FIR and it was she who had directed the police to initiate a suo moto case in this connection.
7. The BJP dubbed the allegations levelled by Banerjee as “baseless”. The law and order has completely broken down in Bengal. The truth is the TMC and the state government officials, be it police or local administration, were hand in glove while committing atrocities on locals. This is the true picture of West Bengal,” BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.
8.  Meanwhile, speaking on the second day of the BJP National Council Meet in Delhi, legislator Agnimitra Paul launched a scathing attack on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. She slammed the TMC chief for not taking action against the party leaders, who allegedly harassed the women of Sandeshkhali sexually and grabbed their lands forcibly.
9. “Despite being a woman chief minister, Mamata Banerjee stood by the absconding accused, Sheikh Shahjahan,” she said, adding that Banerjee was also helping Rohingyas settle in India.
10. TMC Leader Shibu Prasad Hazra, one of the key accused arrested in the Sandeshkhali violence case, was sent to eight days of police custody by a local court on Sunday.

(With PTI inputs)