Baruipur gang rape case: TMC alleges Mamata Banerjee stopped from meeting victim's family

Kolkata: A fresh political controversy erupted on Monday after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged that party chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was prevented from travelling to Baruipur to meet the family of the 12-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered.

In a post on X, the TMC claimed that a heavy police deployment and barricades were placed outside Banerjee's residence after authorities learned of her proposed visit.

‘Our Chairperson, @MamataOfficial, wanted to visit Baruipur. Upon learning this, a massive deployment of police personnel and barricades was put in place outside her residence to prevent her from leaving,’ the party said.

The allegation comes amid widespread outrage over the alleged rape and murder of the minor in the Surjyapur area of Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district. Tension escalated on Sunday after one of the accused allegedly died after being lynched by the victim's relatives and residents.

According to police, the girl had left home on Saturday afternoon to buy a birthday gift for a friend but did not return.

Her family alleged that four men abducted her and claimed that police failed to act promptly despite being alerted.

Police said residents later caught one of the suspects, who allegedly disclosed the location of the victim's body.

The body was subsequently recovered from the Surjyapur Haat area, allegedly stuffed inside a sack near a pond.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case.

The incident sparked massive protests, with angry residents blocking the Baruipur-Joynagar Road, setting tyres on fire and vandalising police vehicles. A large police contingent was deployed to restore order.

Inspector General of Police (Presidency Range) Kankarprasad Barui assured protesters that all those involved would be identified and arrested, adding that no one would be spared.

Police have detained local BJP worker Shantanu Mandal for questioning, while four people have been arrested in connection with the case so far.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee also targeted the BJP over the incident, alleging that political patronage was emboldening those accused of serious crimes.

He questioned the BJP's response to the case and demanded accountability, describing the incident as ‘extremely shameful.’

There was no immediate response from the BJP or the state administration to the TMC's allegations.