Written by Tawsif Reza Chowdhury, a student of the Department of Economics, University of Chittagong
On the recent 5th of July, the sack-bound body of an underaged Muslim girl was found in India’s West Bengal, specifically in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas District. Later, when she was taken to the hospital, the doctors declared her dead.
The incident began in the previous afternoon. She was reported missing when she went to the market to buy a birthday gift for her friend. Locals accused the administration and police inaction regarding the incident. According to local residents, CCTV footage shows that a man was seen taking the minor girl away in an auto. The man was apprehended by the agitated local crowd and was handed over to the police station. However, a BJP leader came later and got him released. This sparked outrage among local residents. In response, the agitated locals blocked roads and railway tracks. The incident’s severity was such that a young man was lynched by the local mob.
Facing widespread outrage, the police detained three suspects and conducted the interrogation. The suspects then revealed the brutality of the abuse and alleged political connections. The victim was subjected to brutal torture and gang rape. Along with injuries all over her body, a heavy object was used to inflict a severe blow to her head. Lastly, attempt was taken to murder the victim by strangulation to silence the screams.
Without confirming the victim’s death, the accused allegedly stuffed her in a sack and dumped her in a pond while she was still breathing.The confession matched with the findings of the post-mortem examination.The report shows signs of injuries all over the body along with bite marks. The description of the head injury by a heavy object and injury in the genitalia matched accordingly with the confession. Muddy water was found in her lungs referring to that the she was still alive when she was thrown in the pond.
Alongside the brutal details which emerged during the interrogation, political connection was revealed as well. Prabhash Mondol, one of the detainees, confirmed that the incident was linked with a worker of the BJP. But he was killed in an encounter by the police before the whole truth came to light.
According to the police statement, he was taken to the pond at night to reconstruct the crime scene. At that time he snatched a police officer’s pistol and tried to flee while firing shots, which prompted the police to fire back.However,public suspicion arisewhether the crossfire was orchestrated to conceal the actual culprit.
Following the change in the state government and political power, the law and order has witnessed a massive decline. Among all the incidents that occured after the election, this incident of Baruipur is the most tragic one. The incident not only exposed the authoritarian nature of the BJP but also revealed the facade of decency maintained by the civil society.
During the last government’s tenure, the gang rape and murder case of RG Kar unfolded the sustained protest (Abhaya Movement), where ordinary citizens, middle class, social and cultural organisations came to the street. However, today, despite the brutality of the crime, the majority have chosen to stay silent.
The frontline leaders of the RG Kar movement, who rose to prominence by promising women’s safety and by capitalising on public sentiment, are now the legislators (MLAs). Today they are shielding their party from the accountability of the following incidents of injustice and political violence. The media and social media platforms are showing relatively less reaction in this atrocity committed against a marginalised and minority girl.
On the whole, this scenario portrays a crystalline maxim which indicates not only the political transformation of West Bengal but also its decline in social values.
