West Bengal: Police detain BJP leaders protesting at Lalbazar over Kolkata gangrape case

KOLKATA(West Bengal): Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and its workers were detained by the police as they were protesting at Lalbazar against the alleged gangrape incident at South Calcutta Law College.

Claiming links between the accused in the gangrape of a law student in Kolkata and top TMC leaders, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata.

The incident that comes 10 months after the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case has triggered a major political row in West Bengal.
Following the detention, BJP state President Sukanta Majumdar refused to sign the bail bond and take personal bail. He said that he is ready to stay in the lockup overnight.

On the detention of Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar by Kolkata police, co-Convener of the West Bengal BJP Legal Department, Tarunjyoti Tiwari said that the state party chief is not being given proper food and no rules are being followed, calling it a case of “police overreach”.

“There has been no reason why Sukanta Majumdar was detained. We only want to know the reason. An MP is detained without reason, and according to the rule, if an MP is detained for the entire night, the Lok Sabha Speaker must be informed. But this is not being followed. He is not being given proper food. They are not following any rule. Here, in West Bengal, it is not the rule of law, but the rule of the ruler. This is a case of police overreach, and we will go to the High Court on Monday. Mamata Banerjee is in power today; she might not remain there tomorrow, but police will be there, and such will be a stain in their service record that they will remember it forever.”

Meanwhile, the medico-legal examination (MLC) of the victim of the alleged gangrape incident at South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata has been completed. Counselling of the victim was also done by an authorised counsellor, and her statement has been recorded, the police said.

Police also recreated the crime scene. South Suburban Division DC Bidisha Kalita said, “The crime scene was recreated today by the police and the statement of the victim has been recorded.’

Congress and the BJP held separate protests over the incident. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers also held a ‘Mashal March’ demanding justice for the rape survivor.

A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata’s Kasba on Wednesday, June 25. The police have arrested three persons, including the main accused, and a five-member Special team has been formed to investigate the incident.
Kolkata Police Chief Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal told ANI, “We are investigating his (Guard of the Law College, Pinaki Banerjee) role in the alleged offence… The court has granted his police custody till July 1…”

The main accused, Manojit Mishra, and his accomplices, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, have been remanded to police custody till July 1.
The BJP has set up a four-member fact-finding committee to investigate the case. BJP MP Sambit Patra made the announcement while addressing a press conference in the National Capital on Saturday. (ANI)