On Sunday villagers in Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal burnt tires and a bus in protest on National Highway 31, demanding justice for a 16-year-old girl who they believe was raped and murdered. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the crowd. However a day later, the post mortem report revealed no evidence of physical force or sexual atrocities as claimed by the villagers.
In addition to this, the body of a boy named Firoz was found in a pond in the same village of Chaitra Gach on Monday. According to Police records, the boy had been absconding after the girl had gone missing.
According to police sources, it appears to be a case of lovers' suicide.
The BJP however seems to have taken advantage of the situation, calling for candlelight marches by the BJP Yuva Morcha in 1100 mandals on Monday -- amongst other protests -- to demand justice for the rape of the teenage girl.
BJP leaders Nischit Pramanik and Raju Banerjee were at the Islampur hospital in North Bengal to collect the mortal remains of the girl, despite knowing the details of the post mortem report.
"Police are trying to conceal the real incident of rape of a Rajbanshi girl.We condemn the incident and that is why we are here. After the Lok Sabha elections (2019) there have been atrocities in North Bengal," said Nischit Pramanik who suggested that after the BJP's victory in majority of North Bengal Lok Sabha constituencies, atrocities against saffron party workers have been rampant.
Pramanik also brought up the incident of BJP MLA Debendranath Roy who was found hanging in Uttar Dinajpur district last Monday. While the BJP claimed it was murder, the TMC has pointed out that the post mortem report showed no external injuries apart from a ligature mark on the neck suggesting suicide.
In the death of the 16-year-old girl too, the TMC has reflected that the post mortem report does not show sexual assault or any atrocities that the victim might have faced. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) sent out a media communique along with the post mortem report stating,"BJP attempt to spread fake news exposed again. In a desperate attempt to communalise and politicise the death of a young girl, BJP caught again. Post mortem report reveals truth."
The TMC is countering all allegations put forth by the BJP, even as the latter continues to opine that there are rampant atrocities being conducted against BJP supporters in the state.
It now remains to be seen how this particular case plays out.
