On Saturday, 5th October, a shocking incident unfolded in the small village of Kultali, located in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The body of a minor Hindu girl was tragically found floating in a canal, raising serious concerns about the safety and security of women in the region. The discovery has left the locals in grief and anger, reigniting the debate on lawlessness in the TMC-ruled state.

This gruesome event comes amid ongoing protests over the recent brutal assault of a female doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital. Now, yet another horrendous crime involving a fourth-grade student has emerged in South 24 Parganas, adding fuel to an already tense atmosphere. The alleged rape and murder of the young girl has sent shockwaves through the area, with villagers demanding answers and accusing the police of negligence.

The victim, a 11-year-old minor Hindu girl, had gone missing on Friday night after leaving home for her tuition classes. Concerned when she did not return, her father went to the Jayanagar police station to file a missing persons report, hoping for prompt action. However, it is alleged that the police refused to register the complaint, showing a shocking disregard for the family’s concerns. Tragically, later that same night, her lifeless body was discovered in a nearby reservoir, just 500 metres from her home. The sight of her injuries further deepened the suspicion of foul play.

The locals, grief-stricken and enraged, are claiming that the girl had been raped and murdered before her body was discarded in the canal. Villagers who had known her since childhood are heartbroken, but their grief has quickly turned into a cry for justice. They accuse the authorities of turning a blind eye to the crime, leaving many to question the state of law enforcement under the current administration.

Reports from the area suggest that when the family of the victim attempted to lodge a formal complaint at the Mahishamari police station, they were harassed by the police, adding another layer of cruelty to their tragedy. This ill-treatment not only angered the grieving family but also triggered widespread protests among the villagers. People took to the streets, demanding accountability from the police and justice for the victim, fed up with what they perceive as systemic negligence and incompetence.

In the aftermath of the tragic murder of a minor Hindu girl in Kultali, the anger and frustration of the local villagers reached a boiling point. On Saturday, enraged protestors blocked roads in both Jayanagar and Kultali in an act of defiance against what they perceived as police negligence. The protests soon escalated as the demonstrators attacked the local police station, ultimately setting it on fire. This was a powerful expression of their deep frustration with the authorities, whom they accused of failing to act in time to prevent the horrific crime.

The outrage from the villagers was palpable. They firmly believed that had the police taken swift action when the girl's father initially approached them, the crime could have been averted. The police, they claimed, had shown negligence that ultimately cost the young girl her life. This sense of betrayal was reflected in the widespread anger that swept through the region.

By Saturday morning, the streets were filled with residents voicing their grievances. The villagers, who had heard of the brutal crime, accused the police of complete inaction. The tension reached a point where slogans were being chanted against the law enforcement officers, and protestors managed to push back the police who arrived at the scene. Unable to calm the situation, the officers were forced to retreat. But the anger of the crowd did not stop there.

In an unprecedented turn, the protestors took matters into their own hands. They vandalized the local Mahishmari police post in a direct response to their perceived injustice. In their rage, they also targeted the house of the accused, further intensifying the chaotic scene. The community, which had felt abandoned by the police, decided to make their voices heard in any way they could.

Videos circulating on social media platforms captured the intensity of the protests. In these videos, groups of women protestors were seen wielding sticks, clashing with the police, and pelting stones in frustration. It was a rare and powerful sight—women leading the charge in the demonstrations, expressing their pent-up anger at the system. The videos also showed the destruction of bikes and public property, reflecting just how deeply the pain of the community ran.

As the public fury grew, the authorities were forced to take action. In a bid to control the situation and bring some sense of justice, the police managed to arrest one suspect in connection to the murder-rape case. However, the arrest did little to quell the public outrage, as many saw it as too little, too late.

The incident drew attention from across the political spectrum. Suvendu Adhikari, a prominent political figure in the state, weighed in on the matter through his social media account. He voiced his concerns, stating, “It seems that West Bengal Police haven’t learned anything from the unfortunate RG Kar incident when a 31-year-old PGT Doctor was found raped and murdered.” His words echoed the sentiments of many in the region, who were beginning to see a disturbing pattern of lawlessness and negligence in the state’s handling of such cases.

Amid the rising tension in Kultali, a BJP leader has voiced his frustrations, stating what many villagers have been echoing since the tragedy unfolded. “The whole situation could have been avoided if the Police could have just done their duty yesterday,” he pointed out, underscoring the anger over the perceived police negligence that might have contributed to this horrendous crime. The failure to act promptly has left the community in a state of mourning and rage, leading to further clashes with the authorities.

The situation in the village remains highly tense. As the police finally launched a probe into the murder-rape case, they deployed a large contingent of officers to try to control the unrest and prevent any further violence. Currently, the suspect is under interrogation, but the locals are far from appeased.

One of the protesting villagers, Ganesh Dolui, who spoke up about the growing agitation, emphasized their unwavering demand for justice. He declared, “We will continue our agitation till all those behind the rape and murder of our daughter are punished.” His words reflect the collective anger and grief felt by the community, which is now determined to hold those responsible accountable. Ganesh also pointed to the delayed response from the authorities, stating, “We also demand action against those who responded to the complaint late, which might have resulted in her death.” It is a sentiment shared by many who believe that the police’s inaction played a crucial role in the tragic outcome.

Another protestor, visibly shaken, reiterated the growing concerns of the villagers. He expressed the view that if the authorities had intervened sooner, the horrific crime could have been averted. “Had the police acted promptly, the minor Hindu girl could have been rescued,” he stressed, pointing to what many see as a gross failure of duty. The police, who are now under scrutiny, reported that the body of the girl bore several injury marks, further confirming the suspicion that she was violently assaulted before being killed.

As the protests escalated, so did the tension between the villagers and the police. In a dramatic turn, the angered mob set fire to the local police post, and the main roads in the area were blocked by groups of demonstrators. Armed with sticks and rods, the protesters, which included a significant number of women, even chased the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Baruipur. The scene highlighted the depth of the community's anger and mistrust towards law enforcement. In response to the growing chaos, the police were forced to deploy tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.

Despite the arrest of the accused, identified as Mostakin Sardar, tensions remain high in the area. While the investigation is underway, the heavy police presence has done little to ease the frustration of the villagers. Many continue to demand swift justice, and for them, the deployment of more police offers little comfort after what they see as an egregious failure to protect one of their own.

BJP Criticises Mamata Banerjee Government

In the wake of the horrifying incident in Kultali, the state's main opposition party, the BJP, has launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led government, accusing it of failing to protect women in West Bengal. With rising concerns over the safety of women and the increasing number of crimes against minor Hindu girls, BJP leaders are calling out the state government’s inability to ensure security for its citizens.

Sukanta Majumdar, the West Bengal BJP president and Union minister, did not hold back his criticism. He claimed that women, especially young minor Hindu girls, are becoming frequent victims of violence under the current regime. In a strong statement directed at the Chief Minister, Majumdar expressed his deep concern over the growing number of incidents that have shaken the state’s peace. He pointed out, "Stunned! A student of class IV was brutally raped and murdered on her way back from tuition in the Kripakhali area of Kultali Police station."

Majumdar continued to highlight the horrifying details of the case, reflecting the pain and anger of the villagers who had to make the tragic discovery themselves. "Later, the villagers recovered the body of the little minor Hindu girl from the river bed," he added, underscoring the failure of the authorities to act swiftly and prevent the crime. His questions directed at Mamata Banerjee were pointed and filled with frustration, "My question to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who failed to protect women, is, will there be no relief for the minor Hindu girls of Bengal even at the beginning of Devi Paksha?" This emotional appeal drew attention to the timing of the incident, coinciding with the Devi Paksha, a time of celebration and reverence for Devi Shakti. Yet, it is during this sacred period that women in West Bengal are facing terrifying threats to their safety.

Majumdar’s plea became even more forceful as he asked, "How many more Bengali minor Hindu girls will suffer this fate in your misrule?" His words reflected the growing sense of despair felt by many in the state who see no end to the violence that has plagued their communities.

In a similarly critical tone, Amit Malviya, a BJP leader, took a direct swipe at Mamata Banerjee, drawing a grim contrast between the state’s celebrations of Durga Puja and the ongoing violence against women. He remarked, "During Durga Puja, as West Bengal celebrates Devi Shakti, women and minor Hindu girls are unsafe." The comment starkly highlighted the contradiction between the reverence for the goddess and the actual treatment of women in the state. Malviya didn’t stop there. He emphasized that the real problem lies at the top of the state’s leadership, claiming that the crimes would only continue unless there was a change. "Unless Asuri Shaktis, at the helm of the State's affair, are not defeated, crimes against women will continue, unabated," he stated, comparing the evil forces in power to the Asuri Shaktis, the demonic forces often referred to in Hindu mythology.

To drive home his point, Malviya concluded with a decisive statement, calling for the removal of the current leadership to ensure the safety of women in the state. "Mamata Banerjee has to GO for women to be safe in Bengal," he declared, making it clear that the BJP sees the current government as the primary obstacle to achieving safety and security for women in West Bengal.

The criticism against the Mamata Banerjee government continued to intensify as BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla added his voice to the growing outrage. In his sharp statement, Poonawalla accused the TMC government of failing to protect the people of the state, particularly women. "In West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee, there is no 'mamata' for Maa, Maati, Manush or Mahila," he said, referring to the Chief Minister’s oft-repeated slogan, which stands for mother, land, people, and women. According to Poonawalla, the reality in West Bengal is far from the promises made by Banerjee. He further stated, "Today, daughters are unsafe and it is only the rapists who are getting all the support of the TMC government." His words reflected the growing sentiment that the current government has failed to protect women, with many crimes going unchecked.

Drawing parallels with other violent incidents in the state, Poonawalla referred to a string of cases that have rocked West Bengal, starting from the RG Kar case to the recent tragedy in Kripakhali, where a 11-year-old minor Hindu girl was brutally raped and murdered. He accused the government of harboring political interests over justice, stating, "When her body was discovered by the villagers and they went to the police station, they did not take the complaint for certain vested interests and vote bank-related purposes." His harsh criticism pointed directly at the police and authorities, accusing them of ignoring justice in favor of political gains.

In a powerful conclusion, Poonawalla echoed the demands of many protesters across the state, calling for a change in leadership. He remarked, "It is time for Mamata Banerjee to go because till she is there, TMC will only give patronage to the rapists and never give justice to our daughters." His statement comes amid a wave of protests and unrest, with many questioning whether the government will be able to restore faith in its ability to govern justly.

This incident in Kripakhali comes at a time when West Bengal is already facing backlash for its handling of another high-profile case—the RG Kar Hospital incident. The state is currently experiencing a significant push from medical professionals, particularly junior doctors, who are demanding better protection and justice for the victims. This includes Abhaya, the victim in the RG Kar case, whose death has sparked widespread protests across the state.

On Friday, junior doctors across West Bengal continued their protest despite having earlier called off their 'total cease work'. Their sit-in protest took place in central Kolkata, where they claimed that police had used excessive force against them. Some doctors reported being baton-charged during a rally that was intended to demand justice for the deceased woman medic of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

While the junior doctors had initially agreed to resume work around 8:30 pm on Friday, they made it clear that their struggle was far from over. They issued an ultimatum to the West Bengal government, stating that if their demands were not met within 24 hours, they would escalate their protest by launching a hunger strike till death. This demonstrates the level of frustration and anger among the medical community, who feel that the state has failed them, just as it has failed so many others.

The atmosphere in Bengal remains charged as the demands for justice continue to grow louder. Both the cases of the minor Hindu girl in Kripakhali and the RG Kar victim have united different sections of society, all calling for an end to the violence and injustice they feel has become rampant in the state.