2 Held For Gangrape & Murder Of Minor Dalit Girl in West Bengal, Protests Erupt

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A 17-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gangraped and killed in Kaliaganj in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district. Her body was found in a pond on the morning of Friday, 21 April, after she went missing on Thursday after having left home for her tuition classes.

On Saturday, the National Commission for Women took cognisance of the case. Chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote to the state's Director General of Police asking him "to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that a fair and time-bound investigation is conducted in the matter."

NCW also asked that a First Information Report be filed in the matter and a report on the case be sent across to them within three days.

NCW's press note.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also took cognisance of the case with chairperson Priyank Kanoongo asking a fact-finding committee be formed in the matter.

Police Action So Far:

Police have arrested one Javed Akhtar and one other person on suspicion. Akhtar was known to the victim. 

SP Dinajpur Sana Akhtar told ANI, “We received information that a girl was missing since Thursday night. We started conducting searches at all railway stations, and bus stands. Later, a body was found in Kailyaganj. Two people have been arrested based on the complaint given by the deceased’s family."

The press note shared by the NCW also mentioned that in a purported video, police officials "can be seen dragging the body of the victim ruthlessly and inappropriately."

The NCW ordered that strict action be taken against those officers.

ANI also reported that clashes broke out in the district on Saturday after the incident came to light.

What Happened on Friday:

• Locals and the victim’s family blocked a road in the district with the victim’s body.

• They alleged that the victim had been gangraped and demanded that the perpetrators be punished.

• Stone pelting and lathicharge took place.

• The police detained protestors and fired tear gas shells.

• Police personnel had to be deployed to maintain peace in the area.

Politicians Meet Victim’s Family: These politicians from the state visited the victim’s family.

• Trinamool Congress leader and MLA from  Kaliaganj, Soumen Roy

• TMC’s Uttar Dinajpur District President Kanailal Aggarwal 

• Bharatiya Janata Party leader Joyel Murmu

• BJP’s Chinmoy Deb Barman

• BJP’s Satyendra Nath Roy

“Like the residents, we too are angry. We have come here on the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. We want the culprits to be punished severely. The police have been asked to nab those involved in the crime.”

Kanailal Aggarwal to The Indian Express

BJP’s  Suvendu Adhikari, who is the leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, took to Twitter to say,

Adhikari also claimed that opposition leaders were stopped by the police from meeting the victim's kin.