Police deny dragging body of minor girl victim of Kaliaganj rape, murder

Raiganj SP Sanna Akhtar said that the minor victim girl's body was quickly taken away from the spot to hasten the investigation. His clarification came in the wake of a complaint lodged against the police for dragging the body of the class 12 girl who was murdered and allegedly raped.

Kaliaganj : Responding to the Kaliaganj murder and alleged sexual assault case, Raiganj SP Sanna Akhtar said that the minor victim girl's body was carried in a police ambulance but not dragged. On Friday, a complaint has been lodged against the police for dragging the body of the class 12 girl who was murdered and allegedly raped.

The villagers resorted to violence protesting the police inaction. The state opposition party BJP along with the common people have strongly condemned the role of the police. The National Commission for Women has also sent a letter to the Director General of the State Police. In the meantime, Raiganj Superintendent of Police Sana Akhtar told the reporters that the police had removed the body of the deceased quickly from the scene because of the investigation.

"For investigation, the body was removed from the spot and taken to the police hospital in an ambulance. We need to gather information and evidence for the investigation. That's why the body was taken quickly," the SP said. He further said the autopsy didn’t find any major injury and the victim's post-mortem report given by doctors reveals that death was due to a poisonous substance. "We will again ask doctors to clarify if there's any sexual injury,” Akhtar said.

The SP also said that if the negligence of the police comes up in the investigation, action will be taken. On the other hand, in order to facilitate the CBI investigation of this incident, the family members dug a grave in front of the house and buried the minor's body without cremating it which was required as per Hindu rituals.

The twelfth-class student went missing last Thursday afternoon. On Friday, her body was recovered from a pond surrounded by a Banana orchard behind the house. The family alleged that their daughter was gang-raped and murdered. After that, the people of the entire village started blocking the road demanding a proper police investigation into the dead body and strict punishment of the culprits.

The villagers claim that even though the police arrested an accused in this incident, he did not do this alone. It is also alleged that four or five other people are involved along with him.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar visited the house of the deceased girl. He was accompanied by MP Debashree Chowdhury, MLA Khagen Murmu, Srirupa Mitra Chowdhury and many others. The BJP has also demanded a CBI investigation into the incident. Majumdar also said that they will bear all the costs of the case.