Baruipur rape-murder heats up Bengal politics in BJP government’s first big test

In the politically fractious terrain of West Bengal, the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, around 30 km from Kolkata, and the subsequent mob violence and lynching of a local have become the latest flashpoint. This incident poses the first major law-and-order challenge for the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government, which has warned its political rivals against giving the incident a communal colour.

While three people have been arrested in connection with the rape and murder, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has promised justice and said the government will seek capital punishment for those found guilty.

The political fallout from the incident continued to escalate on Monday. While former CM Mamata Banerjee alleged she was being prevented from meeting the victim’s family, a TMC delegation comprising Dola Sen, Pratima Mondal, and Biman Banerjee met them.

Adhikari promises justice

Addressing the media on Monday, Adhikari described the crime as “horrific” and said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted. “Two persons have been arrested and three others have been detained. After the incident, I spoke to the victim’s father. Whatever the family expects from the administration, we will deliver. We will extend all help. They will get justice,” he said, adding that four separate cases have been registered in connection with the incident.

“In the first case, we will ensure justice for the family and seek capital punishment for the culprits. However, there has also been a mob lynching. I am not giving anyone a clean chit, but the lynching had a communal angle. Police vehicles were torched, two Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel were injured and there was an attempt to block railway tracks. In the remaining three cases, action will also be taken. Those who were involved will have to pay for it,” the CM said.

Adhikari said he would visit Baruipur on Tuesday and review the role of the police. “Whatever needs to be done, we will do,” he added.

Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar said those responsible would face the “highest punishment” if found guilty. “The culprits have been arrested. If there are others involved, they too will be arrested. If convicted, they will receive the highest punishment. But it is unfortunate that the former CM (Mamata Banerjee), (TMC national general secretary) Abhishek Banerjee and the CPI(M) are trying to give the incident a communal colour. That is unacceptable,” he said.

Targeting the former CM, state minister Agnimitra Paul said, “Mamata Banerjee didn’t find the time to visit in 15 years. So many incidents occurred during those 15 years. Rapes occurred every single minute … Not just you, your ministers, MLAs, and MPs didn’t find the time either. Oh, you did find time, time to visit Manipur, Unnao, and Hathras. But you didn’t find the time to visit the girls and women in Bengal who were suffering. You found time to twist and manipulate cases, just as you did with the RG Kar incident and numerous others like Hanskhali, Kamduni, and Park Street. You didn’t find time then, and you won’t find time today. You will not be allowed to go there. You will not be allowed to play politics. You want to go there to instigate the public against the government, and expect us to stand by and watch? We won’t allow it. Our Chief Minister is not an inactive one like yours … There is no room for compromise here. Now, with the BJP government led by Suvendu Adhikari in the picture, she wants to rush there immediately to instigate and incite the Muslim public, stoke fires, and disrupt law and order. Mamata Banerjee, you have persecuted the Muslim community. They are realising this now.”

The girl’s body was recovered from a pond on Sunday, with her family alleging that she had been raped and murdered. The discovery triggered widespread protests, with locals blocking roads, torching police vehicles, and attempting to block railway tracks. A local man, suspected by the crowd to be one of the accused, was lynched. A large contingent of state police and central armed police force personnel was deployed, and prohibitory orders were imposed in the jurisdiction of three police stations.

Mamata, TMC hit out

Heavy police deployment was seen around Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence after she announced plans to visit the victim’s family late on Sunday night.

In a statement on social media, Banerjee alleged that she had effectively been prevented from leaving her home. “I had planned to visit the victim’s family alone. However, all roads near my house have been blocked by police and central forces. They have not communicated any reason to us,” she said.

“I don’t know why they are not letting me go out. I don’t know why I am such a threat. We are the original TMC, but those aligned with the BJP are being allowed to hold political programmes,” she added, saying that she had spoken to the victim’s family over the phone.

On Monday, the former CM held a candlelight march against the incident. She was briefly stopped by the police shortly after she left her Kalighat residence but was later allowed to continue her protest till Hazra Crossing.

TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose also criticised the BJP government, comparing its response with the Opposition’s criticism of the previous TMC administration during the RG Kar rape and murder case.

“In the terrible R G Kar attack, within 24 hours the Kolkata Police arrested the culprit, yet the Mamata government was relentlessly targeted by the BJP and its mainstream media puppets. Today, in the horrifying Baruipur rape and murder of a child, the BJP government in Bengal is being seen to shield the culprits, the media is silent and a three-time Chief Minister is virtually under house arrest. Scandalous,” she posted on X on Monday.

Rebel MP thanks CM

There was a marked difference in the response of the TMC’s rebel faction. Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh — Baruipur is part of her constituency — condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the victim’s family. She also thanked Adhikari. “He assured me that arrests are being made, an SIT has been constituted, he is in touch with the bereaved family, and the culprits will not be spared. I thank him for taking prompt and necessary action,” she wrote on X.

Ghosh said she would also write to the CM seeking all possible support for the victim’s family. “At the same time, the rule of law must prevail. Mob hysteria has no place in a civilised society. Taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable and deserves strict action,” she said.

Rebel MLAs said they too would meet the victim’s family on Tuesday. “It is a shocking incident. Our delegation will visit Baruipur tomorrow. We will meet the family members of the victim,” said Akruzzaman, TMC’s chief whip in the Assembly.

CPI(M) plans stir

The CPI(M) announced statewide protests over the incident. A delegation led by former MP Sujan Chakraborty visited Baruipur and met with the victim’s family on Monday.

“The police are incompetent. The entire state is demanding justice for Baruipur. We will take to the streets in protest,” CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said. CPI(M) workers also staged demonstrations outside the Baruipur police station and announced a protest rally in Esplanade.