7 held for raping housewife, mother-in-law

Howrah (WB) : Seven persons were arrested for allegedly raping two women of a family here at Muktirchowk under Amta Police Station, police said Wenesday.

The incident happened last night when the two women — a housewife, in her mid-twenties and her mother-in-law (50) — were alone at home at Muktirchowk, they said, adding that, eight persons had allegedly barged into the house and raped them before escaping the scene.

An FIR was lodged in this connection Wenesday morning by the women's relatives and police managed arresting seven persons while one was still at large, they said. The seven persons were produced before the court which ordered seven days of police custody, police said.

"We are waiting for the medical reports of the two victims... We are looking for the eighth person and hope he will soon be arrested," an investigation officer said.

A team of senior state police officials visited the victims, who were, first, admitted to the Amta Hospital and later shifted to the Uluberia Hospital for medical examinations, they said. Meanwhile, CPI(M) demanded strict actions against the culprits alleging that they belong to the ruling Trinamool Congress, which, however, rubbished the allegations.