Tensions flared in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a protest against the alleged rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl, whose body was discovered on Saturday. The protest, led by West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, saw party leaders criticise the state government and police for their handling of the case.
Following the discovery of the girl's body in Jaynagar, locals took to the streets, torching the Mahismari police outpost and vandalising vehicles. Villagers alleged that the police had delayed registering their complaint when the girl went missing on Friday, news agency PTI reported.
Majumdar, while speaking to news agency ANI, accused the police of suppressing democratic agitation. "Police are trying to suppress a democratic agitation. And this has brought democracy in the state to an end. If only 10% of this police force had tried to find this minor girl two days ago and registered an FIR, things would have been different, and neither of us would have been here," he stated.
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul echoed similar sentiments during the protest, emphasising the alleged inaction of the police when the girl initially went missing. "We have come here to protest, and they have put up three lines of barricades. We haven't come here to vandalise the police station but to hold talks. Why did the police not file an FIR when two days ago, the girl went missing? Her parents were made to go from one police station to the other... Had action been taken, the girl would have been alive. Such incidents are happening almost every day but our Chief Minister is playing dandia and doing inaugurations," she told ANI.
Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, the BJP MP from Purulia, also raised concerns over the state's response to the incident. "A 9-year-old was raped and murdered. When she went missing, her parents were made to go from one police station to the next. Had the police taken timely action, this situation could have been avoided. We do not want another RG Kar-like incident... We wanted to meet the in-charge of the police station, but they have set up barricades as if we are not two MPs but some anti-national elements. Police do not want justice; they just want to protect the rapists and murderers."
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose Slams Mamata Govt Over 'Absence Of Timely Action'
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose criticised the state government for its failure to act promptly in such cases, attributing the rise in rapes to the lack of timely action. Referring to the alleged rape and murder of the minor girl in Jaynagar, Bose remarked, "The cases of rape are increasing because of the absence of timely action. The inept handling of the rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College is acting as a fillip to similar gruesome incidents in the state. The West Bengal government should realise that a stitch in time saves nine", PTI reported.
He further urged the state to take "convincing and decisive action" against perpetrators to prevent further heinous crimes, adding that "otherwise, it will amount to encouraging rape and violence."
Jaynagar Rape-Murder Case: 1 Accused Arrested, Locals Torch Police Outpost Over Alleged Delay In Registering Complaint
A senior police officer confirmed that one person had been arrested in connection with the crime. "We will ensure that the culprit gets capital punishment. We have supported the family throughout, and the probe started even before the FIR was lodged," said Palash Chandra Dhali, Superintendent of Police, Baruipur Police District.
After the victim's body was discovered, locals took to the streets, torching the Mahismari police outpost and vandalising vehicles over allegations that the police had delayed registering their complaint when the girl went missing.
Ganesh Dolui, a local villager, condemned the delayed police response, stating, "We will continue with our agitation till all those accused in the rape and murder of our minor daughter are arrested and convicted. We also demand action against those who responded to the complaint late, which might have resulted in her death."
Amid the ongoing protests, Kultali's TMC MLA Ganesh Mondal was chased away by angry villagers when he attempted to pacify the crowd, who accused him of defending police inaction. Mondal later expressed his understanding of the people's anger but urged them not to take the law into their own hands. "I have requested the police to investigate the matter thoroughly and frame charges against the accused," he told reporters, as quoted by PTI.
In a similar vein, TMC MP from Jaynagar, Pratima Mondal, was greeted with 'go back' slogans by a section of the public when she visited Padmerhat Rural Hospital, where the girl's body was taken for autopsy.
Police have assured the public that the investigation is underway and that action will be taken against those involved in the arson at the outpost. "After lodging the complaint at 9 pm on Friday, police swung into action and arrested an accused this morning after an initial probe. We are with the family of the deceased, and those involved in the destruction of all important documents will be identified and prosecuted," Dhali added, as per PTI.