Kolkata: A tribal woman was raped and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on Saturday night.

The two accused, identified as Ratnu Munda and Parimal Roy, allegedly invited her husband for a liquor party in Lebu Bagan area at around 8pm. Her husband was reluctant but they forcibly took him on the pretext of resolving an old personal dispute, the police said. When he did not return till 10 pm, the woman went out to look for her husband and found him in an inebriated state. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused men dragged her to a nearby bush at Niranjan Pat GP-I area and raped her, the police added.

Speaking to News18, Rajesh Kumar Singh, vice-chairman of Jalpaiguri Municipality, said, “They also inserted a small Iron rod in her private parts. I arranged for an ambulance for her and at present she is under treatment at Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital. She is now stable and recovering.”

Enraged over the incident, people from the local tribal community ransacked the houses of the accused and demanded a stern action against them. The situation was later brought under control by the local police. “The woman’s family members lodged a complaint at Dhupguri police station and both the accused Ratnu Munda and Parimal Roy were arrested. Both are residents of Magurmari area. Our investigation is on,” said Dendup Sherpa, Addl. SP (Rural), Jalpaiguri.

The incident brings back memories of the 2012 Nirbhaya rape case in New Delhi in which a woman was gang-raped inside a moving bus and one of the accused inserted a rod in her private parts.