Sign in

Impose Article 355 in Bengal, probe alleged rape of minor girl: Suvendu Adhikari

The demand made by Adhikari comes in wake of an alleged gangrape and death of a 14-year-old girl in Nadia district of West Bengal. Braja Gopal Gayali, the son of Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader Samarendra Gayali was arrested on Saturday in connection with the case.

Updated on: Apr 11, 2022, 21:05:11 IST
Written by | Edited by , New Delhi
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday demanded that Article 355 in the state which implies that it shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance.

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. (ANI file photo)
West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. (ANI file photo)

The demand made by Adhikari comes in wake of an alleged gangrape and death of a 14-year-old girl in Nadia district of West Bengal.

Also Read| TMC panchayat leader’s son held for minor’s rape: Cops

“I met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and sought probe on alleged gang rape death of 14-year-old girl in Nadia. Will meet the family of the deceased tomorrow,” Dhankar told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, governor Dhankar sought an urgent response from West Bengal's chief secretary on the case.

Braja Gopal Gayali, the son of Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader Samarendra Gayali was arrested on Saturday in connection with the case.

The crime occurred in the Hanskhali area on the night of April 4. The girl's family lodged a police complaint on April 10. The family told the police that the girl knew the accused and had gone to his residence to attend his birthday party.

The family added that she was forced to consume alcohol before she was allegedly gang-raped.

“Initially, the family did not lodge any complaint. The police were informed after she was cremated,” a district police officer told Hindustan Times on the condition of anonymity.

Also Read| Wonder if minor died after being slapped: Bengal CM on Nadia gang rape case

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, said on Monday that a detailed investigation is being carried out and that she would ask the state commission for protection of child rights to take up the case.

However, Banerjee expressed doubts regarding her family's attribution of the girl's death to gang rape. She wondered whether the 14-year-old died after a fall following a slap by someone.

“The police are yet to understand the cause of the death. I had asked them. Will you call it rape or was she pregnant? Was it (the fallout of) a love affair? Have you enquired about these? This is an unfortunate incident,” the CM added.

Banerjee also questioned why the victim's family filed a police complaint five days after her death and cremation.

Opposition parties furiously censured the chief minister's remarks over the case and said that she was shielding the accused as he was the son of the TMC leader.

(With ANI, PTI inputs)