Kolkata, Aug 6 (IANS) The West Bengal Police, on Wednesday, arrested a 32-year-old man for raping a young girl multiple times on the false promise of marriage at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, which was rocked last year after protests by local women over their prolonged sexual exploitation by now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader and a strongman, Sheikh Shahjahan, police said.

A district police officer told that the arrest was made after the girl’s family lodged a written complaint with the Sandeshkhali police station.

The man has been identified as Rashidul Molla.

He also lives in the Sandeshkhali police station area.

According to the police officials, the accused met the girl six months back and tried to have a romantic relationship with her.

Although initially, the victim girl was reluctant, however, later she agreed.

As per the complaint, the man raped the girl multiple times by promising to marry her.

When the girl insisted that he should get married to her, the accused tried to sever all relations with her.

The accused also told the victim on her face that marriage between them was impossible.

After realising that she had been cheated, the victim told her family members about the whole incident.

On Tuesday, the family complained to the police.

A written complaint was filed with the Sandeshkhali police station.

“After investigating the incident, the police arrested the accused from the Jelekhali area on Wednesday. The arrested person was taken to a Basirhat Court, which remanded him in police custody,” a district police officer said.

The incident has created a furore in the area as Sandeshkhali had been in the news last year after rape allegations against Trinamool Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan surfaced.

Several women in Sandeshkhali had alleged land grabbing and sexual abuse by Shahjahan and his men, who are involved in fish farming and trading.

Shahjahan was also the main accused in the case of physical assault of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) official and central armed police force personnel (CAPF) in front of his residence last year.

Shahjahan is also accused for the murder of three local BJP workers in 2019.

–IANS

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