Man arrested for raping daughter’s friend

In a quiet neighbourhood in Basirhat, West Bengal, a 13-year-old girl was brutally assaulted, not by a stranger, but by a man she used to call ‘uncle’. Her parents, both migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, had entrusted her care to extended family. She lived in her maternal uncle’s home, went to school, and made friends. One of those friends was the daughter of Arman Sheikh (name changed), the man who, police say, violated that trust in the most horrifying way. Late Sunday night, Sheikh, 52, allegedly forced his way into the house and raped the child. Her cries alerted passersby, who broke into the house to rescue her. Her neighbours came to her rescue.

Police arrested Sheikh on the spot.

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He now faces charges under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The girl, following a medical exam and court testimony, has been placed in a state-run shelter until her parents return. “She knew him. She saw him as a father figure,” a senior officer involved in the case said. “That makes it even more cruel,” added the officer. As news of the incident spread, political parties were quick to respond. The ruling Trinamul Congress claimed the accused was linked to the Indian Secular Front (ISF), while ISF leaders strongly denied it.