West Bengal Guv meets Chopra flogging victims in Cooch Behar

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, originally slated to visit Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district to meet victims of a flogging incident, met them instead in Cooch Behar on Tuesday morning, sources said.

Bose arrived in Bagdogra from New Delhi in the morning and proceeded directly to Cooch Behar, where the victims were waiting for him.

"At the moment, the Governor is interacting with the victims at the Cooch Behar circuit house and gathering details from them," an official told PTI.

Sources said Bose would decide later whether to proceed with the planned visit to Chopra.

"Since the victims expressed their desire to meet him in Cooch Behar and have already arrived here, the Governor is meeting them here. Whether or not he visits Chopra will depend on his assessment," the official added.

Bose on Monday had sought a report from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the flogging of a couple.

Police on Sunday registered a case after the video of the incident that happened on Friday went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. PTI could not independently verify the video.

The man seen in the video beating up the couple with a bamboo stick was identified as Tajmul alias 'JCB', claimed to be a local TMC leader. He was later arrested.

The couple was allegedly engaged in an illicit relationship because of which they were flogged on the direction of a kangaroo court, police said.