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Violence erupts in Bengal’s North Dinajpur over minor’s rape, murder
Local residents in Kaliaganj area blocked roads and set shops on fire, prompting police to fire tear gas shells and use stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
Violence erupted in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur on Saturday after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by a 20-year-old man, who was among two people arrested, police officials said.
Local residents in Kaliaganj area blocked roads and set shops on fire, prompting police to fire tear gas shells and use stun grenades to disperse the crowd, the officials said. The two sides had also clashed on Friday night, hours after the minor’s body was recovered from near a pond, with police firing tear gas shells and resorting to lathicharge to maintain law and order.
The incident and violence also triggered a political row after a purported video of police dragging the body of the minor went viral on social media. HT could not independently confirm the authenticity of the video.
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According to police, the minor had gone missing on Thursday and her body was found near the pond on Friday. A bottle of poison was also found on the spot, they said.
As news of the incident spread, an irate mob blocked roads with burning tyres. They also clashed with police after the latter reached the spot. Police resorted to firing tear gas shells and lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
“My daughter was raped and murdered. We demand appropriate action against the culprits. We want justice. We want a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” the victim’s father told media persons.
Police, however, said a post mortem report did not suggest any rape.
“We have already arrested the prime accused and his father on the basis of a complaint by the victim’s mother. The prime accused has been charged with murder and rape under the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the basis of a complaint lodged by the family. The post-mortem report suggests death by poisoning. There were no major injury marks on the victim’s body,” Raiganj superintendent of police (SP) Sana Akhtar said.
The SP said the two arrested persons, Javed Ali and his father Anisur Haque, were produced in court and sent to police custody for 14 days.
A senior police officer said a poison bottle was recovered from the spot where the girl’s body was found. The officer also said that the deceased and the prime accused were in a relationship. “We are investigating all angles,” the officer said.
On Saturday, fresh violence erupted as local residents blocked roads and set shops on fire. Police once again resorted to firing tear gas shells and used stun grenades to bring the situation under control.
“We have detained seven people in connection with the violence. The situation is under control and a large contingent of police have been deployed in the area,” SP Akhtar said.
Meanwhile, a political row erupted after a purported video of police dragging the minor’s body inappropriately during the violence was shared by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Sharing the 18-second video on Twitter, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya said: “In this video, the body 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.”
On the video, SP Akhtar said: “Police had to recover the body for investigation. The villagers were resisting. Police had to use mild force. Later, police did what the circumstances demanded. The body was taken to an ambulance and then shifted to a hospital. If there were any lapses by any police personnel, departmental action would be taken”.
State women and child development minister Shashi Panja slammed the BJP for politicising the issue: “The death of the girl is very unfortunate. But the BJP playing politics over the dead body was more unfortunate. BJP MLAs and party workers from outside the area were brought in. They demanded a CBI probe and incited everyone. A narrative is being created that the law and order has deteriorated in the state,” she said.
In a statement, the National Commission for Women said it has taken cognisance of the video. It also sought an FIR and asked for detailed action against the accused. “A detailed action taken must be apprised to the Commission within three days,” it said.
A National Commission for Protection of Child Rights team arrived to visit the family.
A team of BJP leaders led by state president Sukanta Majumdar also visited the family. On Friday, the police had stopped a BJP team from visiting the spot.
“Police are making a mockery in the name of post mortem. They are acting in a biased manner. If the family allows, we will move Calcutta high court for a CBI probe. We are with the family,” Majumdar said.
The party also staged demonstrations at multiple locations in the district and in Kolkata.
On Majumdar’s remarks, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “The incident is very unfortunate. But when police are investigating the case and have arrested the accused, why is the BJP trying to politicise the issue? They (BJP) want to visit the spot, use it to gain political mileage, bring in central teams etc. They should first check what happened in Unnao and Hathras.”
