Couple tied up & beaten over ‘illicit affair’ in Habibpur

Malda: A shocking case of mob justice unfolded in Habibpur’s Kochupukur area of Malda district on Monday, where a married man and a widowed woman were allegedly tied up and publicly humiliated over accusations of an extramarital affair. Police intervened in time and rescued the duo before a local “salishi sabha” (kangaroo court) could begin.

According to sources, the incident involved a local married youth and a widowed tribal woman from the same area. Residents alleged that the two had been in an illicit relationship for several months, despite repeated warnings from villagers to end it. Locals claimed the man frequently visited the woman’s house at night, leading to growing resentment in the community.

On Monday morning, when the youth was allegedly caught at the woman’s house, angry villagers detained both of them, tied them up and began preparing for a community-led judgment. Before the situation could escalate, police from Habibpur station arrived at the scene and rescued the pair. Both were taken to the police station for questioning.

Speaking about the incident, Saraswati Murmu, a local resident, said: “We had warned them several times. But they didn’t listen. Today, when people caught them together, everyone was furious. The elders wanted to settle the matter through a salishi.” The woman’s mother-in-law, Chhamiya Mardi, expressed anger and humiliation, saying: “Our family’s reputation is ruined. My son died and now she has brought shame to us. The villagers could not tolerate this any longer.”

Police officials said they are investigating the incident and will take legal action against anyone involved in the unlawful detention or attempted public punishment. The situation in Kochupukur remains tense, with additional police deployed to prevent further unrest.