The Bengal government has formed a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the Jaynagar case, five days after the nine-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly raped and killed in the block in South 24-Parganas district.
The announcement came on Wednesday as public outcry over the incident and villagers protest demanding justice for the schoolgirl continued to grow.
According to Baruipur police district sources, the SIT will be led by additional superintendent of police (zonal) Rupantar Sengupta. The team will also include Baruipur subdivisional police officer Atish Biswas, Jaynagar circle inspector Subir Dhali, and Jaynagar police station inspector-in-charge Parthasarathi Pal.
“The SIT will explore all possible angles to determine the motive behind the crime. The most capable officers have been selected for this investigation,” said a senior official from the Baruipur police district.
The BJP and CPM have dismissed the formation of the SIT as a mere "eyewash."
Senior CPM leader Kanti Ganguly told The Telegraph: "Had the police accepted the complaint promptly and secured the crime scene in time, there would have been no need for the SIT, which seems to be formed just to pacify public anger."
Ganguly called for a probe into the role of Jaynagar police station officers. "Police officers who did act promptly on receiving the complaint (from the girl's father on Friday when she went missing) are equally responsible for the girl's death," he said.
The BJP expressed scepticism over the formation of the SIT.
"The SIT has been formed to buy time and shield the real culprits," said local BJP leader and convener of party's South 24-Parganas Doctors' cell Bapi Betal. A team of the party's doctor's cell met the victim's parents on Wednesday.
With public outrage still simmering from the incident at RG Kar in Calcutta, where protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor continue, this latest crime has only added to the Trinamool-led government’s troubles.
The child's body was discovered early on Saturday, at a short distance from the Mahismari police outpost. She had gone missing while returning from her tuition. A youth has been arrested in connection with the alleged rape and murder, but locals remain unconvinced of his guilt, suspecting the involvement of others.
Frustrated with the initial reluctance of police to register a complaint, the girl's parents petitioned Calcutta High Court for a magisterial autopsy, which was carried out at Kalyani JNM Hospital by doctors of AIIMS, Kalyani, on Monday.
After the postmortem, the girl's body was returned to her family for the last rites. However, protesters took the body, insisting a demonstration be held on Tuesday. The funeral was delayed on Tuesday as villagers repeatedly clashed with the police. Eventually, the girl’s body was laid to rest near her home.
Even after the state government's announcement of the SIT, Jaynagar remained tense with villagers continuing with their protests for justice on Wednesday. In the afternoon, protesters blocked Barasat Road, but the blockade was cleared within 30 minutes after police intervened.
Demonstrations erupted at various locations, including Mahismari and Garankati, on Wednesday with protesters calling for stronger laws to deter sexual violence. “Perpetrators know loopholes in the law and they have political backing. Without a law that instils genuine fear, the menace of rape will persist,” said a protester.
Since the girl's body was discovered, residents from at least eight nearby villages have united in their demand for justice. They also want police officers who refused to take action accountable for the girl's alleged rape and murder.
“Police negligence and lack of cooperation shattered us,” a local woman said.