CPM state secretary Mohd Salim visited Nadia’s Hanskhali on Sunday to meet the parents of the deceased gang-rape victim and blamed “a bunch of irresponsible policemen” and chief minister Mamata Banerjee for making rape a “frequent affair” in Bengal.

Salim was speaking to the media in Hanskhali after meeting the parents of the minor girl who died a day after allegedly being raped by Sohail Gayali, the son of local Trinamul leader Samar Gayali and his friends on April 4.

“Most officers-in-charge of police stations are irresponsible... The SDPOs, SPs are no exception... they get indulgence from the chief minister who unfortunately blamed the girl...” Salim said.

Mamata had earlier said that the girl and the youth knew each other.

Pointing a finger at the state of the administration that “led the girl’s body to be taken away at gunpoint” and cremated without a death certificate or an autopsy, Salim said: “It is a shame that the police mysteriously could not come to know about the incident and the parents also could not dare to lodge any complaint (immediately)... This is the state of law and order in Bengal.”

The girl’s parents could not dare to lodge a police complaint until April 10.

“It is a pity that our chief minister blamed the girl for her tragic death...what she publicly said actually means that no girl should have an affair or step out of home. She even apparently raised questions about the girl’s character and remained unconcerned about the security of women in the state,” he said.

He accused the chief minister of making the state a heaven for criminals and said that the people of Bengal would not forgive her if this continued.

The CPM leader also walked in a protest rally in Hanskhali demanding arrest of all suspected persons, including Trinamul leader Samar Gayali, the father of the Sohail Gayali who is the prime accused in the rape and death case of the 14-year-old girl.

Asked about the fate of cases in CBI hands, Salim said: “During the past few years the CBI was entrusted with a number of cases for investigation. But logical conclusions have not been reached in any... Our party will monitor development in this case.”

The CBI on Sunday produced the arrested Ranjit Mullick, one of Sohail’s friends, before the ACJM court in Ranaghat on Sunday. He was remanded in 12 days of CBI custody.