The 26-year-old man, who was lynched in Baruipur on Sunday on suspicion of involvement in the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, has been found innocent, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday.
“The police told me that the man who was lynched was innocent,” Adhikari said.
“About 200 people who damaged police vehicles and uprooted railway tracks have been identified. They will all be arrested… The police have obtained their call records,” he added.
The 12-year-old girl’s body was recovered from a pond on Sunday, a day after she disappeared. Her family claimed that she was raped and murdered. Following the incident, a man named Indrajit Tanti was summarily executed.
“I met the two families. They said they trust the government and the police. They asked for help and made certain demands including setting up a police station in the area. I will return to Baruipur within a week,” he added.
The police registered four First Information Reports (FIRs) including rape and murder of the minor girl and lynching of the man. Three people were arrested while three others were detained for questioning.
“I don’t think any chief minister or home minister (of the state) has in the past met the families of the victims and listened to them… I invited the local MP and a party MLA (both of whom belong to the Trinamool Congress) and met them as well. Three BJP legislators also attended,” he said.
Read also:Rape and murder case in Baruipur: The accused took the victim to a hut where two others were waiting for him, police said
Adhikari from the Superintendent of Police office in Baruipur held a virtual meeting with officers in charge of all police stations in the state.
“I held a virtual meeting with all the regulatory committees in the state. I told them that such incidents should be prevented and that they should follow the law, proper guidelines and directives,” he said.
“The girl’s parents filed a complaint about her disappearance with Baruipur police station at 11.50 pm on Saturday, hours after she went missing. I have asked the state director general of police to send me a report within 72 hours. If we find even 1 percent negligence on the part of police officials after filing the complaint, strong action will be taken,” he said.
“Those who incited violence for political reasons, to attract media attention and increase viewership on social media, will not be spared,” he said.
Local residents staged protests after TMC MPs and TMC members from the rebel camp went to meet the victim’s parents. Cries of “chor chor” (thief, thief) were allegedly raised. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday sent a three-member team to meet the girl’s parents.
TMC on The TMC claimed that the police “appear to be particularly protecting an accused named ‘Raja’.”
HT was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video.
