Women's panel seeks report in Bengal teen's suicide

Kolkata, Aug 25: The West Bengal Commission for Women on Tuesday said it has sought a report from police on a girl's suicide after allegedly being molested and publicly assaulted in the city's outskirts.

According to the victim's family, the prime accused Pritam De often accosted the girl, proposing to marry her. When she brought the matter to the notice of De's relatives they publicly humiliated her and even tore of her clothes.

After setting herself on fire, the 18-year-old -- a resident of Baranagar -- succumbed to her injuries at a hospital early Sunday. While the police have arrested six people including four women, the prime accused Pritam is still at large.

"We have reasons to suspect that the police are not acting in the way they should be. The precious life of the girl wouldn't have been lost had the police acted in time. We have sought a report from Barrackpore commissioner of police," commission chairperson Sunanda Mukherjee said.

Meanwhile, police said they have launched a manhunt for nabbing Pritam.

"We have interrogated several of his relatives and friends to ascertain his location. We have launched a manhunt for him and Pritam will soon be arrested," said investigating officer of the case Tanmay Sen.

City-based rights group Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) said it is seeking the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

"We are preparing a report on the entire matter and today (Tuesday) our team will meet the victim's family and others in the locality. We will send this report to the NHRC seeking their intervention," said APDR secretary Ranjit Sur.