A three-member team of the National Human Rights Commission reached North Dinajpur district on Monday to probe the deaths of a minor girl who had allegedly been murdered after the rape and Mrityunjoy Barman, who had died in police firing.

Sources said the team headed by Kuldip Singh, an official in the rank of deputy superintendent, landed at the Bagdogra Airport on Monday. From there, they reached Raiganj and headed for the house of Mrityunjoy at Chandga village in Kaliaganj block of the district. The NHRC members spoke to his family members and recorded their statements.

On April 21, the girl’s body was found near her village. Her family members alleged that she had been raped and murdered but a section of police officers said the girl had died after consuming poison.

This led to protests and on April 25, violence erupted at Kaliaganj. A mob torched the local police station and law enforcement personnel and civic volunteers were severely beaten up.

After the violence, the police raided some villages. In one such raid at Chandga, the police detained some persons. As Mrityunjoy opposed the detention, a police officer allegedly opened fire and he died.

Rabindranath Barman, the youth’s father, said: “They (NHRC team members) spoke to us for around three hours. We narrated how the police had gunned down my son in front of my eyes. They also talked to our neighbours.”

The NHRC team is scheduled to call on the girl's family members also.

The North Dinajpur district administration initiated a magistrate-level inquiry into the youth's death. On Monday, the forensic expert who had conducted the post-mortem made his deposition before Raiganj subdivisional officer Kingshuk Maity.

“The SDO will visit Chandga in the next two-three days and speak to the youth’s family,” said a source.

4 of 'mirchi' gang held

Malda: Four members of a suspected “mirchi” gang were arrested in Malda on Tuesday morning.

Sources said Biswajit Saha, Uttam Das, Ujjwal Karmakar and Rabi Mandal were apprehended at Nalbari off NH12 around 2am. The four are the residents of Mangalbari and Sahapur, which are under the jurisdiction of Malda police station.

They were carrying dry chilli powder, ropes and sharp weapons.

“We suspect they are members of a mirchi (chilli) gang that sprinkles chilli powder on victims and uses ropes and sharp weapons to mug them,” said a police officer.

SOUMYA DE SARKAR