Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition, on Thursday prescribed the Uttar Pradesh model of encounter killing in Bengal while referring to the recent murder of a schoolgirl who resisted a youth's sexual advances in Darjeeling district last Monday.

Adhikari’s comments drew sharp criticism from ruling Trinamul. Human rights activists expressed shock over a lawmaker advocating unconstitutional measures.

“Under Mamata Banerjee's rule, Bengal has become a free zone for murderers. We believe if needed, these criminals must be encountered (referring to extrajudicial killings) like (in the rule of) Yogi Adityanathji. These anti-social elements have no right to live in the society,” Adhikari told newspersons on the Assembly’s portico as other BJP MLAs chanted Jai Shri Ram.

On Monday afternoon, the 16-year-old girl was bludgeoned near a north Bengal town. Within a few hours, the police nabbed the accused.

The arrest didn’t deter the saffron camp from flagging "lawlessness" in the state.

In the Assembly on Thursday, BJP's Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh demanded a statement from the state’s home minister — chief minister Mamata Banerjee heads the department — on the “deteriorating law and order", mentioning a few cases including Monday's murder.

Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee took objection to Ghosh's comments. BJP lawmakers started sloganeering inside the House. When Banerjee adjourned the House for recess, the BJP MLAs went to the portico where Adhikari arrived and joined them.

Referring to Thursday's 12-hour strike called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Sangh Parivar constituent, across Siliguri subdivision on Thursday in protest, Adhikari said: "The Vishwa Hindu Parishad held a rally to protest (Monday's murder). The police attacked the rally with sticks and arrested 11 protesters. You (Mamata) are not arresting the family or accomplices of the accused.... You did the same in Kaliaganj (a student's rape and murder in April). You failed to provide safety to women...."

While the Nandigram MLA accused the administration of inaction, fellow BJP Ghosh, addressing the House, said the police arrested the prime accused.

Multiple Trinamul leaders said Adhikari has a tendency to refer to UP-style functioning, but criminals are dealt with strongly and brought to book in Bengal.

“Suvendu wants to establish Yogi raj and Talibani raj (in Bengal). Here everything will happen following the law,” Trinamul MLA Tapas Roy said.

“What does he mean by encounter in Yogi raj? Does this mean the new Nyay Samhita Bill legitimises encounters?” Roy asked, taking a dig at the new bill that aims at overhauling the Indian Penal Code.

Human rights activists also condemned Adhikari's statement.

Ranjit Sur, general secretary of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights, said it was a dangerous trend for a lawmaker advocating extrajudicial measures.

“This is demeaning for the entire judiciary. Calcutta High Court must initiate a suo motu case against him,” Sur said. “The BJP is not in power in Bengal but its leaders have already begun talking about such undemocratic measures.... This will provoke common people to take up the law in their own hands.”

Reports available in the public domain suggest that in Uttar Pradesh, 183 encounters have taken place since 2017, the year Yogi became the chief minister. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court pulled up the Yogi administration over the killing of former MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in police custody on April 15. The bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar sought a status report from the UP government on 183 “police encounters” since 2017.

VHP supporters tried to enforce a shutdown on Thursday in and around Siliguri. Most markets and private schools were shut and private vehicles were sparse on roads. Government offices and schools, banks, most private offices and standalone shops were open.

Trinamul leaders, including Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb and party’s Darjeeling (plains) district chief Papia Ghosh, held a rally in protest of the strike, accusing the VHP of trying to foment tension.

Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, demanded a CBI probe into the murder.