Amid a political firestorm between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP over claims of sexual assault by aides of a strongman from the ruling party in Sandeshkhali, NDTV spoke to some of the women, who said they are “living in fear”. Conversations with the women revealed that while the allegations of rape may not be true, many were called to the party office at odd hours and were threatened if they refused. Some women also spoke of their husbands being tortured.

NDTV visited Sandeshkhali, an island close to the Indo-Bangladesh border where prohibitory orders have been imposed on all entry points, on Wednesday. While some women who have been protesting against Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan’s aides agreed to speak, none of them wanted to reveal their identity in front of television cameras, fearing reprisal and persecution.

One woman, who participated in the protests earlier, told NDTV, “These incidents must have taken place, otherwise why will the women say these things? You must enquire for yourself. Why else will women come out on the streets and speak out? Are they lying? There must be truth in these statements.”

“We are living in fear. We don’t come out of our homes because of fear,” she added.

Another woman said, “They (Shahjahan’s aides) would call women for meetings or rallies but there was no fixed time. It could be day or night. We would have to go whenever they called and if we didn’t, they would threaten us.”

“Even if we did not want to go, they would force us. They gave us examples of the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme and the free rice scheme. They said Didi (West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee) is feeding you but you still won’t go to meetings? Even if it is at night, you have to go or we will kidnap you, they would say,” another woman claimed.

The women named Sheikh Shahjahan’s aides, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. While Sardar has been arrested, Hazra is on the run. Shahjahan has also been missing since an Enforcement Directorate team was attacked by a mob during a raid on his house in connection with an alleged ration scam on January 5.

“Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar would call us to the party office even at night on the pretext of holding a meeting,” another woman alleged.

Asked if there have been allegations of sexual assault, the woman said, “They would torture us. They targeted women by picking up their husbands and beating them up with a stick in the party office. If we refused to go to the party office, they would pick up the men and thrash them so we would be forced to go.”

Claims, Counterclaims

Earlier on Wednesday, West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar allegedly suffered injuries during a clash with the police as he attempted to go to Sandeshkhali despite police restrictions and prohibitory orders. He has been admitted to a hospital in Kolkata. Some have claimed Mr Majumdar’s injuries were the result of him falling after climbing atop a police car to protest.

The BJP has alleged that women have been sexually harassed and raped in Sandeshkhali and wanted to visit the area to speak to them.

Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. said, “What happened with BJP state president is being condemned by the whole country. As Leader of Opposition, I condemn the way the state police treated him. We will protest against this on Thursday. Action should be taken against the person whose orders are being followed by the police.”

The Trinamool hit back at the BJP and said the opposition party wants to create trouble as peace is returning to the area. West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja told reporters, “There is a competition between BJP leaders over who is a bigger leader and who can reach Sandeshkhali. Because of this competition, they attempted to reach Sandeshkhali again. They protested on Tuesday as well. Now they say he (Mr Majumdar) has fainted. He has been brought to Kolkata for treatment.”

“We are saying that the situation is returning to normal and the National Women’s Commission visited the area on Wednesday and they are also saying no sexual harassment of women has taken place. What does Sukanta Majumdar want to hear after this,” Mr Panja asked.

In a post on X, the West Bengal Police has also denied any such allegations or complaints and warned against “wilful misinformation” by sections of the media. 

One person was killed and multiple children were among 21 injured after a mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally on Wednesday triggered panic among huge crowds of fans.

Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, which takes patients up to the age of 17, said it was treating 12 people — 11 of them children, nine for gunshot wounds — after the shooting, which unfolded just moments after Chiefs players had addressed a vast crowd of cheering supporters gathered nearby.

Police said three people had been taken into custody after the incident, but the motive and circumstances behind the shooting were still under investigation.

Kansas City fire department chief Ross Grundyson told a press conference that many of the victims had sustained “life-threatening injuries.”

“We had eight what we considered immediately life-threatening patients, we had seven with life-threatening injuries, and had six that had minor injuries,” Grundyson said.

After shots rang out, shocked fans scrambled to flee to safety as police worked to clear Union Station in a tragic end to what had been a joyous morning of celebration to salute the NFL champions.

Paul Contreras, who was at the rally with his three daughters, said he tackled and disarmed one of the suspected shooters before the police arrived.

“I got the right angle on him and I hit him from behind. And when I hit him from behind, I either jarred the gun out of his hand or out of his sleeve,” Contreras said on CNN. “I take him down, and I’m putting all my body weight on him. And then another good Samaritan comes over and is helping me.”

Victims were treated lying on the ground before being carried away on stretchers as crowds streamed past.

“I’m angry at what happened today,” Kansas City Police chief Stacey Graves said. “The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment,” the police chief added.

Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas was among VIPs at the event who were sent running for cover after shots rang out.

“This is a day that a lot of people look forward to. Something they remember for a lifetime. And what they shouldn’t have to remember is the threat of gun violence,” Lucas said.

The Chiefs meanwhile condemned the shooting as senseless.

“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today’s parade and rally,” the franchise said in a statement.

“Praying for Kansas City,” City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wrote on social media.

– Huge crowds –

Just moments before the shooting, Mahomes and his teammates had been soaking up the adulation from a sea of red-shirted fans.

There had been no hint of trouble as hundreds of thousands of partying supporters feted Chiefs players along a two-mile (three-kilometer) route in a procession of double-decker buses, enveloped by a blizzard of red and gold confetti.

Local officials said more than one million people were expected for the parade, which was held in unseasonably sunny, warm conditions in downtown Kansas City.

Gun violence is not uncommon at large-scale sporting victory celebrations in North America.

Last year, 10 people were wounded after a shooting which erupted in Denver amid fans celebrating the Denver Nuggets’ NBA championship victory.

In 2019, four people were injured after gunfire broke out near a parade to honor the Toronto Raptors’ NBA Finals victory in Toronto.

Mass shootings are also common in the United States, where there are more guns than people and about a third of adults own a firearm.

The Chiefs were celebrating their third Super Bowl title in five seasons after beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime in Las Vegas on Sunday to cement the team’s dynasty status.

The team’s most famous fan — music superstar Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs icon Travis Kelce — was not part of the celebrations.

The singer, whose relationship with Kelce became a cultural phenomenon, rushed back to the United States on Saturday from the latest leg of her money-spinning world tour to attend Sunday’s Super Bowl.

As Kelce and the Chiefs celebrated on Wednesday, Swift was reportedly en route to Australia where she is due to perform in Melbourne on Friday.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In a brave act, two people were seen tackling the gunman who allegedly opened fire at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally in the US on Thursday. 

In a video now going viral on social media platforms, a couple of Kansas City Chiefs fans were seen pouncing on one of the gunmen, who allegedly killed one person and wounded 21 others in Kansas City, Missouri.

The two fans were caught leaping on the suspected gunman and dragging him to the ground as several shocked fans scrambled to flee to safety after the mass shooting.

In the video, a woman can also be seen picking up a gun after the alleged gunman was caught.

kc citizens tackling one of the shooters. brave people. pic.twitter.com/USLzF9rBbd

— gwyn (taylor’s version) | KC N1🐍 (@gwyn_kl) February 14, 2024

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves told a press conference that she was aware of reports that some fans may have participated in the pursuit and capture of at least one of the suspects and that investigators were reviewing video of the incident.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the shooting in Kansas City was the forty-ninth mass shooting in the United States so far this year.

Police said three people have been arrested after the incident, but the motive and circumstances behind the shooting were still under investigation.

At least 22 people were struck by gunfire, one of them fatally, and 15 of the surviving victims suffered life-threatening injuries, Fire Department Chief Ross Grundyson said at the press conference.

The circumstances of the shooting, however, remain unclear, and authorities are still determining the full extent of casualties and age range of the victims.

Around 800 law enforcement officers were at the rally and parade that preceded it, including agents of the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

All of the Chiefs players, coaches, and staff who attended the victory rally were accounted for and safe, the National Football League team said in a statement.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife were also in attendance when shots were fired, but were safe and secure following the incident.

(With agency inputs)