The rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, around 30 km from Kolkata, and the ensuing mob violence and lynching of a local have become the most recent flashpoint in the politically volatile region. The Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government is facing its first significant law-and-order test as a result of this episode, and it has cautioned its political adversaries not to give it a communal undertone.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has pledged justice and stated that the government will pursue the death penalty for those found responsible, despite the fact that three persons have been detained in relation to the rape and murder.
On Monday, the incident’s political ramifications kept getting worse. A TMC team made up of Dola Sen, Pratima Mondal, and Biman Banerjee met the victim’s family while former chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed she was being kept from doing so.
Justice is promised by Adhikari
Speaking to the media on Monday, Adhikari called the crime “horrific” and announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). “Three people have been detained and two people have been arrested. I had a conversation with the victim’s father following the incident. We shall fulfil the family’s expectations of the administration. We will offer all assistance. He added that four different complaints had been filed in relation to the incident and that “they will get justice.”
“In the first instance, we will pursue the death penalty for the offenders and guarantee justice for the family. But there has also been a lynching by a mob. I’m not blaming anyone, but there was a communal component to the lynching. Two members of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) were hurt, police cars were set on fire, and an effort was made to obstruct railway tracks. Action will also be taken in the remaining three situations. The CM stated, “Those who were involved will have to pay for it.”
Adhikari stated that he would visit Baruipur on Tuesday to discuss the police’s role. “We’ll do whatever has to be done,” he continued.
The “highest punishment” would be meted out to anybody found guilty, according to Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar. “The offenders have been taken into custody. Others who are involved will also be taken into custody. If convicted, they will suffer the highest sentence. But it is regrettable that the former CM (Mamata Banerjee), (TMC national general secretary) Abhishek Banerjee and the CPI(M) are trying to give the incident a communal colour. “That is not acceptable,” he declared.
State Minister Agnimitra Paul criticised the former chief minister, saying, “Mamata Banerjee didn’t find the time to visit in 15 years.” There were a lot of incidents in those fifteen years. There were rapes every minute. Not only did you not find the time, but neither did your ministers, MLAs, or MPs. Yes, you made time to travel to Manipur, Unnao, and Hathras. However, you were unable to visit the suffering women and girls in Bengal. As you did with the RG Kar incident and many others including Hanskhali, Kamduni, and Park Street, you found time to distort and manipulate cases. You won’t find time today, just as you didn’t find it back then. You won’t be permitted to go there. You won’t be permitted to engage in political activity. Would you like us to watch helplessly as you travel there to incite the populace against the government? We will not permit it. Unlike you, our chief minister is not inactive. Compromise is not an option in this situation. Now that Suvendu Adhikari’s BJP government is in power, she wants to go there right away in order to provoke and stir the Muslim populace, start fires, and sabotage law and order. You have persecuted the Muslim community, Mamata Banerjee. They are now understanding this.
The girl’s family claims she was raped and killed when her body was found in a pond on Sunday. Widespread protests followed the discovery, with residents attempting to block railway tracks, obstructing highways and setting police cars on fire. A local man was lynched because the crowd thought he was one of the accused. Three police stations were subject to prohibitory orders, and a sizable presence of state police and members of the central armed police force were deployed.
Mamata, the TMC attacked
Following Mamata Banerjee’s announcement late on Sunday night that she would be visiting the victim’s family, there was a significant police presence surrounding her Kalighat home.
Banerjee claimed in a social media post that she was essentially barred from leaving her house. “I had intended to go to the victim’s family by myself. However, police and central forces have closed every road close to my home. They haven’t given us any explanation,” she stated.
“I have no idea why they won’t let me leave. I have no idea why I pose such a threat. She said, “We are the original TMC, but those who are aligned with the BJP are being allowed to hold political programs,” adding that she had had a phone conversation with the victim’s family.
The former chief minister protested the tragedy with a candlelight march on Monday. Shortly after leaving her Kalighat home, she was momentarily stopped by the police, but she was eventually permitted to carry on with her protest until Hazra Crossing.
Sagarika Ghose, a Rajya Sabha MP for the TMC, also slammed the BJP government, drawing comparisons between its response and the opposition’s criticism of the previous TMC administration in the RG Kar rape and murder case.
“The BJP and its mainstream media puppets continuously assailed the Mamata government despite the fact that the offender in the horrible R G Kar attack was apprehended by the Kolkata Police within a day. The media is mute, a three-time chief minister is essentially under house arrest, and the BJP administration in Bengal is perceived as protecting the perpetrators of the horrific rape and murder of a child in Baruipur. “Scandalous,” she wrote on X on Monday.
Rebel MP gives CM credit
The breakaway section of the TMC responded rather differently. Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh, whose electorate includes Baruipur, denounced the incident and showed support for the victim’s family. “He assured me that arrests are being made, a SIT has been constituted, he is in touch with the bereaved family, and the culprits will not be spared,” she added as she thanked Adhikari. She wrote on X, “I appreciate him acting quickly and appropriately.
On Tuesday, RRebel MLAs promised to see the victim’s family as well. It’s a startling occurrence. Tomorrow, our delegation will travel to Baruipur. The TMC’s main whip in the Assembly, Akruzzaman, declared, “We will meet the victim’s family.”
CPI(M) intends to stir
Statewide demonstrations over the event were announced by the CPI(M). On Monday, a team headed by former MP Sujan Chakraborty travelled to Baruipur and had a meeting with the victim’s family.
“The cops lack competence. Justice for Baruipur is being demanded by the entire state. Sujan Chakraborty, a member of the CPI(M) central committee, declared, “We will take to the streets in protest.” Additionally, CPI(M) employees scheduled a protest gathering on Esplanade and held protests outside the Baruipur police station.
