Violence erupted at Kaliaganj in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district on Saturday as locals took out protests against the alleged rape and murder of a minor. Local police resorted to lathi charge and used tear gas shells in a bid to control the crowd as local shops were set on fire.
The body of the teenager was recovered from the banks of a pond on Friday morning. In a video statement on Raiganj Police’s social media handles, the police mentioned that the minor had been missing since Thursday but the family did not file any official complaint. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police began search operations.
Meanwhile, a purported video of the police dragging the body of the minor has gone viral on social media, after which the National Commission for Women took cognizance of the matter and sought an action taken report from the West Bengal DGP within the next 72 hours.
In the meantime, Raiganj Police has ruled out sexual assault in the initial stages of the investigation.
Superintendent of police (SP) Md Sana Akhtar in the video statement on Raiganj Police’s social media said, “A medical board was constituted and prima facie there were no external injuries found on the victim’s body. Videography of the postmortem process has been conducted. We have found a poison bottle next to the body that has been sent for forensics. We will carry out a detailed investigation in the case. Based on the complaint filed by the minor’s family, two persons have been arrested.”
On the other hand, a political war in West Bengal has been triggered by the incident with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the safety of women in the state. West Bengal BJP alleged that the victim was raped and murdered and demanded a CBI probe into the case.
Taking to Twitter, BJP West Bengal in-charge Amit Malviya posted the viral video and wrote, “In a video, the body that West Bengal Police is insensitively dragging is that of a minor rape and murder victim from the Rajbongshi community in Uttar Dinajpur’s Kaliaganj. Such haste is often seen when the purpose is to eliminate or dilute evidence and cover up the crime. Shockingly, Mamata Banerjee’s administration didn’t allow local BJP MLAs Satyendra Nath Ray (from the Rajbongshi community) and Budhrai Tudu to visit the victim’s family but let Uttar Dinajpur TMC President Kanaia Lal Agarwal meet them. Who are they trying to save here?”
Moreover, West Bengal BJP president Dr Sukanta Majumdar reached Kaliaganj on Saturday to protest in front of the SP’s office, where he told reporters, “The main entrance to the office was locked. After 10 minutes they opened the gate as they couldn’t find the key. The SP was informed about our visit but wasn’t present here. The police are trying to cover up the incident. Lies are being spread to hide that the victim was raped and murdered. We demand a CBI probe in the case.”
“The State Child Commission has reached the spot and is looking into the matter. It is very sad that the BJP is playing politics over a dead body. They have got outsiders to Kaliaganj to influence the villagers. It is very unfortunate,” said Shashi Panja, women and child development minister while addressing the media on Saturday.
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