The CPM and the BJP on Wednesday hit out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee and held her responsible for the lapses in policing that led to the kidnapping and murder of two school students from Baguiati. Both parties accused Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee of politicising the police force.
They alleged Trinamul leaders used the police to further their political agenda and that had demoralised the force.
The parties organised agitations in front of Baguiati police station during the day.
The BJP’s agitations were led by the women’s wing of the party and then by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.
Later in the evening, CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim and other leaders, including Sujan Chakraborty and Srijan Bhattacharyya, demonstrated outside the police station.
The twin murders have triggered a political row with the BJP’s state chief Sukanta Majumdar making an unsuccessful attempt to visit the houses of the victims — Abhishek Naskar and Atanu Dey — on Tuesday evening.
He was stopped by some residents of the locality, who Majumdar said were Trinamul workers.
The CPM leaders, however, met the families of both students on Wednesday evening amidst protests by local Trinamul supporters.
“Who will be held accountable for these murders? What were the police doing even after the families of the victims made repeated complaints? The home department, home secretary and the home minister must be held responsible for this gigantic failure,” CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said.
Chakraborty also alleged that the police were being forced to carry out Trinamul leaders’ orders. Adhikari said the families should move court to seek justice.
He said that an investigation by the CID would focus on sweeping the “crimes” committed by the inspector-in-charge of Baguiati police station under the carpet.
He alleged that the police had sought Rs 3 lakh from the families to start an investigation.
Trinamul spokesperson Kunal Ghosh ruled out any political connection with the incident.