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regular-article-logo Friday, 26 April 2024

North Dinajpur: 'Death by poison' spurs fresh violence

Girl’s family in a police complaint claimed she was raped and killed

Kousik Sen Raiganj Published 23.04.23, 04:54 AM
Representational image.

Representational image. File photo

Fresh violence erupted on Saturday in the North Dinajpur village where a 17-year-old girl was found dead on Friday.

A mob ransacked and torched some shops and attacked police, saying the law enforcers were not doing anything to nab those involved in the girl's alleged rape and murder.

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The girl’s family in a police complaint claimed she was raped and killed.

On Saturday, Sana Akhtar, the district police chief, claimed the girl died of poisoning.

“In the post-mortem report, it has been primarily found that she died of consumption of poisonous substances. There were no major injury marks. Even so, we have deputed an officer of DSP rank as investigating officer in this case,” Akhtar said.

As this news spread, protests erupted. Seven persons were arrested for perpetrating violence, Akhtar said.

On Friday, the Class XII student was found dead in a jute field in the village. She was missing since Thursday.

“The police are saying my daughter committed suicide. It is false. If she did so, why did a youth surrender to the police? We want justice,” said the girl’s mother.

On Saturday, the girl’s body was brought to the village for her last rites. Soon, protesters with sticks and iron rods blocked a road at the market, burnt wood and shouted slogans.

A police team asked them to disperse, but agitators ransacked shops and torched one. They hurled bricks at the police, prompting the latter to retaliate with batons and teargas shells.

“The situation is under control now. People should have confidence in the police,” Akhtar added.

A BJP team led by the party’s state chief Sukanta Majumdar and MP Debashree Chaudhuri met the girl’s family on Saturday.

Accusing the police of bias, Majumdar said: "We will move Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI probe."

Trinamul's state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the BJP was trying to politicise the incident.

The National Commission for Women has also asked the state DGP for a report on this case within three days, sources said.

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