Demand for CBI inquiry into the death of the girl

A public interest litigation was filed at Calcutta High Court on Monday, seeking a CBI probe into the recent alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in North Dinajpur.

The division bench presided by acting Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam allowed a petitioner to file the PIL. “The case is likely to be heard on Tuesday,” said a source.

Seeking permission, the petitioner’s counsel claimed the incident in the North Dinajpur village was among the rarest of rare crimes, where culprits roamed freely and the administration acted like their puppets.

Last Friday, the body of a 17-year-old girl was found in the village. Her family alleged she was raped and murdered. There were clashes when the police reached the spot to recover the body.

Videos showing police dragging the girl’s body on Friday surfaced on social media. On Monday, SP Sana Akhtar said four police officers of ASI rank were suspended after a departmental inquiry.

On Saturday, as her body reached the village after the autopsy, there was another round of violence when the police stated poison was found in her body. People felt the police were trying to fabricate her suicide.

Teams of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) have been indulging in a blame game on the issue since Saturday.

Priyank Kanungo, the NCPCR chairperson, dubbed the state commission as incompetent and the administration and police as uncooperative. His WBCPCR counterpart Sudeshna Roy accused the national panel of a “hidden agenda”.

In Raiganj, ABVP held a protest march near the SP office on Monday.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said the BJP would give the girl’s family “complete legal support” and the autopsy report “was fabricated”. “The family wants a CBI probe as the state and the chief minister can’t give them justice,” he said.

“We have full faith in the police. Probe is on but BJP leaders are making conclusive statements to foment tension. But we do oppose how the police recovered the body,” said Kanaialal Agarwala, district Trinamul president.