Bangladeshi convicted for raping nun in convent

Kolkata:  A city court on Tuesday convicted a Bangladeshi man for raping a septuagenarian nun in West Bengal’s Ranaghat town during a dacoity at a convent in 2015. Additional sessions judge Kumkum Sinha termed the incident as a matter of shame in a state where Sister Nivedita and Mother Teresa had worked for the people.

The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Wednesday. Noting that the charge of gangrape was not established, the judge said only Nazrul Islam was found guilty of rape.

Five accused, including Nazrul Islam, were found guilty of dacoity at the convent. A sixth person — Gopal Sarkar was found guilty of harbouring the five criminals at his residence. All the six were also found guilty of criminal conspiracy for committing dacoity at the convent in Ranaghat, an otherwise quiet town about 80 km from here, in Nadia district bordering Bangladesh. 

Other than Nazrul Islam and Gopal Sarkar, the other four persons found guilty are Milan Kumar Sarkar, Ohidul Islam, Mohd Selim Sheikh and Khaledar Rahman.

Apart from Gopal Sarkar, the five others are Bangladeshis and cases against them under Foreigners’ Act are pending before another court.

The nun was raped at the convent on March 14, 2015 where the six persons barged in for committing dacoity. They had decamped with cash from the safe of the convent.

One accused is absconding. The trial was shifted from a court in Ranaghat to the Kolkata Sessions court in May 2016 by the Calcutta high court on a petition by the nun.

The nun, who had relocated to Delhi following the incident, had sought transfer of the case to Kolkata stating that she feared for her safety as the accused allegedly had strong links in Ranaghat. The prosecution charged all the accused with gangrape, dacoity and criminal conspiracy among others.