The family of the minor girl, who died after attending a birthday party in south Bengal’s Nadia district, had alleged that she had been gang-raped. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee upholds the accused who is also the son of a local Trinamool leader.
West Bengal CM questions victim’s family
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised questions over the reports of a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly raped in the Nadia district on April 5.
Speaking at a function, West Bengal CM had hit back at critics, questioning why the body was cremated before a postmortem and the complaint filed five days later. Still, the police have taken action in the case and made an arrest “irrespective of (political) color,” she asserted, saying something like that doesn’t happen in “Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan or Delhi”.
How do you know if she was raped or was pregnant or had a love affair or was sick? Even family knew it was a love affair. If a couple is in a relationship, how can I stop them?This is not UP that I can do that in name of Love Jihad:West Bengal CM on Nadia minor rape & murder case
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2022
She further claims that family and neighborhood knew there was also a love affair, “If a boy and girl are in love, it is not my job to stop it. This is not UP, that we will go on about love jihad. It is a freedom (to fall in love)”. The state, she said, will ensure that if there is a crime, action will be taken. In the current case, action has been taken, she said.
“This story they are showing that a minor has died due to rape, will you call it rape? Was she pregnant or had a love affair? Have they enquired? I have asked the police. They have made arrests. I was told the girl had an affair with the boy,” the CM said.
Brutal crime
The minor was allegedly raped when she went to a birthday party. She died on April 5. The victim’s family alleged that the body was cremated without a postmortem under pressure from a local Trinamool Congress panchayat leader, whose son Braj Gopal Goala (21) is the prime accused in the case.
A police complaint was lodged five days after the incident (April 10). The CM further pointed out, “The girl died on 5th and police came to know on 10th. If she died on April 5 and if there is a complaint, then why did they not go to the police on the day of the incident? They cremated the body! Where will the police get the evidence?”
A detailed probe is being carried out, she said adding that she will ask the state commission for protection of child rights to take up the case.
