Locals from the Adivasi and Rajbangshi communities organised a “Thana gherao” programme on Tuesday afternoon protesting against alleged “police inaction” in the case.
Kolkata: Amid violent protests over the death of a teenager in the area, a police station in West Bengal’s Kaliyaganj was set on fire by the agitators on Tuesday. A few days ago, the area witnessed massive protests over the issue.
Locals from the Adivasi and Rajbangshi communities organised a “Thana gherao” programme on Tuesday afternoon protesting against alleged “police inaction” in the case and claiming that the girl had been raped and murdered. The mob broke barricades and pelted the police station with stones, an officer said. One vehicle was also set ablaze.
#Breaking| Kaliaganj Police Station in Uttar Dinajpur district of #WestBengal allegedly torched by protestors. Agitators were staging a protest against the minor girl’s death when some unidentified person entered the police station & set it on fire. Police fired tear gas shells,… pic.twitter.com/DUbKS22vJM
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) April 25, 2023
Check top 10 developments of the matter:
- Preliminary post-mortem of the girl’s body, however, indicated she had not been raped.
- The police personnel started a baton charge but could not stop the mob from entering the police station and setting it on fire.
- On April 21, the body of the 17-year-old girl was found floating in a canal in Kaliaganj.
- Alleging that she was raped and killed, locals had put up road blockades by burning tyres and set several shops on fire.
- The incident triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP ahead of the panchayat election in the state.
- The TMC accused the saffron party of trying to “politicise and communalise” the matter, as BJP demanded a CBI probe and promised legal aid to the girl’s family.
- Four police officers, all in the rank of Assistant Sub Inspectors, were Monday suspended for allegedly dragging the body of the girl on the road while removing it from the spot where it was found, amid protests by people.
- The West Bengal Police said the post-mortem noted that the death was “due to the effects of poisonous substances ingested”.
- Last week, prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC were imposed in the area due to the violent protests over the death of the teenager.
- The prohibitory orders were imposed before the representatives of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights led by its chairperson Priyank Kanoongo visited the family of the deceased.