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9-Year-Old's Rapist Convicted: 1st Conviction In Bengal Post-Poll Violence

Widespread violence broke out across the state after the results of the assembly election were declared on May 2, 2021.

9-Year-Old's Rapist Convicted: 1st Conviction In Bengal Post-Poll Violence
The sentencing is scheduled for July 4. (Representational)

A man has been convicted for the rape of a nine-year-old in 2021, marking the first conviction in the post-poll violence cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in West Bengal.

Widespread violence broke out across the state after the results of the assembly election were declared on May 2, 2021. Multiple incidents of murder, rape, and attempted rape were reported, prompting several petitions in the Calcutta High Court and the intervention of the Human Rights Commission.

On August 19, 2021, a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to probe all cases involving murder and sexual violence, including rape and attempted rape. In compliance, the CBI registered multiple cases and formed special teams to investigate.

The current conviction stems from one such case in the Malda district. The accused, Rafikul Islam alias Bhelu, a retired government school teacher, was found guilty of raping the girl in a mango orchard on June 4, 2021. The horrific act was witnessed by the victim's 10-year-old cousin, who also testified during the trial.

On July 2, 2025, the Additional District and Sessions Judge (2nd POCSO Court) in Malda convicted the accused under relevant sections, which deals with rape of a child under 12 years of age. The sentencing is scheduled for July 4.

The trial was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor Shri Amitava Maitra, appointed by the CBI.

This landmark conviction marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing legal pursuit of justice in the post-poll violence cases in West Bengal.

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