Fresh violence in Bengal over alleged rape, murder of minor girl

Fresh violence was reported from Kaliyaganj in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal on Saturday after a minor tribal girl was allegedly raped and murdered. Videos showed police personnel dragging the victim's body through the street.

A minor girl was allegedly raped and murdered by unidentified miscreants, a senior police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Local people found the body of the minor girl, who was missing since Thursday evening, floating in the waters of a canal.

The girl, a resident of Gangua village of the district, went missing since Thursday evening after she went for her tuition classes and could not be traced the entire night, despite extensive searches by her family members and local people.

A missing complaint was lodged by her family members. The local people resisted the police when they went to recover the girl's body demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, the police officer said.

The local people also put up road blockades, burning tyres and allegedly pelted stones at police, he said.

"We had to lathi-charge and fire tear gas shells to control the mob. We are trying to bring the situation under control. A probe into the matter is on," the officer added.

BJP demands Mamata Banerjee's resignation

Slamming the West Bengal government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Locket Chatterjee demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and claimed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo is not doing justice to her post, news agency ANI reported.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is not doing justice to her post, she should resign. West Bengal government wants to hide the evidence. There should be a CBI investigation in this case," ANI quoted the senior BJP leader as saying.

Slamming the police over the handling of the matter, BJP leader Bharati Ghosh, as quoted by ANI, said, "Police overlooked all rules that they must follow when any crime is committed. They dragged the body in a very insensitive manner. Police have become an active participant in the whole process of crime. They are trying to cover up the crime scene, destroy evidence and save the culprits. I demand CBI investigation into this incident."

(with PTI inputs)