The infamous “JCB episode” in North Dinajpur district was replicated in Malda where “a married couple” was gruesomely tortured in a kangaroo court under the jurisdiction of Kaliachak police station on July 12.

The incident came to light on Tuesday after officials briefed the media on the incident. Police have already arrested 11 persons for allegedly holding the kangaroo court.

It has been learnt from police sources that the victims — a man and a woman both of whom were divorced and “got married thereafter” — were summoned to a kangaroo court in the Moshimpur madrassa para area of Sujapur on July 12.

"The man and the woman were both divorcees. The man was a hawker from Ranchi. He had a love affair with the divorced woman from Sujapur. Later they got married.,” said said Debajyoti Pal, public prosecutor.

“On the basis of the complaint of the first husband of the divorced woman, a kangaroo court summoned the hawker and his new wife. They were accused of an illicit affair. Although the couple produced the evidence of their marriage, the kangaroo court refused to accept it. They kept the couple confined for the entire night on July 12 to a local person’s house," Pal added.

It has been alleged that the couple were tortured the next day. “Their heads were tonsured and they were forced to take a round of the locality keeping footwear around their neck and were brutally beaten, too," the lawyer said.

Sources said that the police rushed to the spot and rescued the couple once they came to know about the incident.

"The couple was admitted to hospital for treatment. Non-bailable sections were registered against 19 persons, 11 of whom have already been arrested and sent to judicial custody till July 20," said Pradeep Kumar Yadav, the SP, Malda.

Police sources informed that the kangaroo court was convened in three shifts. "The couple had to be present in front of the kangaroo court twice on July 12. They were taken out of the confinement on July 13 and had to appear at the kangaroo court again," the police sources informed.

"We have already campaigned in all police station areas warning people not to take law in hands," SP, Malda said.

A similar incident had taken place in Lakhipur gram panchayat area of Uttar Dinajpur district on June 28 when a youth and women who were allegedly having an affair were publicly flogged in a kangaroo court.