Vandalism hits south Kolkata locality, BJP blames Trinamool government

The death of a minor girl-child, allegedly killed by a neighbour in south Kolkata’s Tiljala locality, prompted a furious mob to vandalise vehicles and obstruct local roads. The BJP leaders promptly took the issue up as a law and order situation, on a day when President Droupadi Murmu – on her two-day visit to the state – was in Kolkata.

The child had gone missing on Sunday, and following a search, police personnel were able to locate her body in a flat, leading to the arrest of one accused. Initial assessment, sources suggest, hinted that the child may have been killed on the advice of a tantrik, though the motive of the murder is under investigation. In a recent incident, an elderly couple in a village in Bengal’s Birbhum district was allegedly lynched. While the case is under investigation, the couple having been targeted for ‘practising witchcraft’ is also being looked into.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders, referring to Monday’s situation, highlighted their concern for the law and order situation. “On a day when President Draupadi Murmu is in Kolkata, the city is on fire. There is widespread anger against Mamata Banerjee’s govt for failing to control increasing instances of crime against women and young girls…,” Amit Malviya, BJP’s co-incharge for Bengal tweeted.

BJP MP Saumitra Khan, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, referring to the grim situation on Monday, following Sunday’s incident. Khan pointed out that in such a situation “there can be a lapse in the security” of the president, and asked for deployment of the Central Security Force in Kolkata for the president’s security.

Shashi Panja, senior minister in the state government, said that the issue has nothing to do with politics, but rather it’s crime, and police have caught the offender in the case, and will reach out to other (if any) offender/s. “We have to condemn the criminal, and crime,” she said, adding that there’s no room for any kind of politics. “We can only appeal to people to maintain peace…,” she said.

The state commission for child rights – the chairperson, and advisor to the commission – have visited and spoken directly to the father of the child who has died, Panja added. “We are very aggrieved… it hurts us, but the father is satisfied that the police have taken action and asking that the offender should be punished… BJP has no role in this,” she added.