Several serving and retired police officers said it was unusual that no administrative action had been initiated despite the rape and murder of the 12-year-old girl and the emergence of multiple allegations of police negligence.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday that the missing person’s diary had been lodged at 11.50pm on Saturday.
However, preliminary police findings revealed that the officer in charge of the Baruipur police outpost had not informed the local police station about the complaint until the following morning.
“According to the statement of the camp (outpost) in charge, he had alerted the RT (radio telephony) party. But the RT party officials said that they were busy attending another spot where an accident was reported,” said an officer.
It was alleged that a team of officers from Baruipur police station under the leadership of the IC reached the spot of violence at 10.30am, which was around three hours after the girl’s body was found. By then, a violent mob had attacked the outpost, started to damage public property and got hold of a man they thought was a suspect.
The man was lynched as the police failed to rescue him in time.
Sources said the Baruipur police station is about 12km from the spot where the girl’s body was found, yet it took officers nearly three hours to reach there. Residents also alleged that the prime accused, Ananda Sardar, had escaped from the police outpost, raising further questions over the police response.
Despite these alleged lapses, no administrative action had been initiated against any police personnel till Tuesday.
“Prompt action sends a message both to the public and the force. Taking action against officers who are prima facie found to be at fault helps build public confidence in the administration,” said a retired IPS officer who had served as Bengal’s director-general of police.
Sources said chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had wanted at least four officers linked to the case to be suspended during his meeting with the police top brass at the Baruipur superintendent of police’s office.
After discussions, however, he gave the director-general of police 72 hours to complete the administrative process and submit a report.