West Bengal: Clashes erupt in North Dinajpur over rape, murder of minor girl

North Dinajpur (West Bengal) [India], April 22 (ANI): Days after the alleged gang-rape and murder of a Dalit girl in North Dinajpur district's Kaliagunj, clashes broke out between the locals and police in the district on Saturday.

Police and security personnel were seen on the spot.

Giving details, SP Dinajpur Sana Akhtar told ANI that the victim's body was found in Kaliyaganj, after which the police swung into action and arrested the two accused.
"We received information that a girl was missing since Thursday night. We started conducting searches at all railway stations, and bus stands. Later, a body was found in Kailyaganj. Two people have been arrested based on the complaint given by the deceased's family."
Earlier on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party Leader Suvendu Adhikari in the state assembly alleged that the police didn't allow the BJP MLAs to meet the victim's family. He also accused the police of "diluting" the evidence.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo also took cognisance of the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor Dalit girl and said that they'll meet the victim's family, and talk to the officials and doctors who did the post-mortem of the victim.
NCPCR Chairperson Kanoongo said, "We will meet the victim's family, talk to officials and doctors who did the post-mortem of the victim and prepare the report. Government should be sensitive, especially in the case of girls."
"It's pathetic the way victim's body was dragged," he added.
Taking to Twitter, Kanoongo said, "The NCPCR has taken cognizance of News Reports of gang rape and murder of a Dalit girl child in Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur of West Bengal. A fact-finding team will be visiting there to conduct an inquiry."
A statement issued by the NCPCR chief office read, "We have received information about the gang-rape incident and murder of a girl child in North Dinajpur in West Bengal. We have received a lot of information from many sources. It is a heinous murder and we are going to investigate it. I myself will go to North Dinajpur with my team".
It added, "Our team will reach there tomorrow. We will investigate this incident by going there tomorrow evening. We are trying to contact the government through the governor's house to cooperate with us in the investigation. This is a case of murder of a girl child and getting her justice."
NCPCR also alleged that the Chief Secretary of the state and the North Dinajpur Collector are not responding despite the body informing them about the incident.
The statement further stated that punishing the culprits is the only way to stop such incidents in West Bengal. (ANI)