Man accused of raping 5-year-old tied to tree, killed by gang in Bengal

Suvendu Adhikari has raised doubts about the post-mortem examination. (File)

Calcutta:

A 40-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a minor was lynched by an angry mob in North Bengal’s Falakata. Mona Roy was tied to a tree and beaten by villagers. He died by the time police rescued him and took him to hospital. The incident took place on Friday.

The parents of the rape victim had approached the police with a missing person report, after which a house search followed. A piece of clothing led police to her body in a pond.

The incident led to a political blame game with the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, raising doubts over the post-mortem examination. He said in an online post that he visited the victim’s parents and was informed of alleged irregularities during the autopsy process.

Yesterday I visited the home of the minor 6-year-old girl in Falakata who was brutally raped, murdered and thrown into a pond near her home.
I met her mother and spoke to her father on the phone. I heard about the irregularities in the post-mortem procedures that… pic.twitter.com/4St56UJ9ko

— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) November 3, 2024

“I have taken note of the irregularities in the post-mortem procedures, which could later prove to be a hindrance if the case were to go to trial. I have assured the grieving parents that we are here for any assistance they can provide. require, whether legal or otherwise,” he said in an online post.

Mr Adhikari took aim at his former mentor, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the Bengal government must investigate what is wrong with the system.

“This gruesome and heartbreaking incident in Alipurduar district is a new addition to the string of sexual crimes against children and women of the state. Mamata Banerjee Govt must introspect what is wrong with the system and how the situation can be proactively tackled so that the prowling sexual Predators can be stopped before another unsuspecting innocent girl falls victim to such a heinous crime,” he added .

In the south, another incident of kidnapping and rape occurred in North 24 Parganas, bordering Kolkata. In Gaighata, a young girl was allegedly kidnapped on Friday evening while she was attending college and raped.

She reportedly tried to commit suicide after the incident. The suspect is the nephew of a local Trinamool leader, locals suggest. He was arrested after her parents filed a complaint, stating that he had been harassing her for more than a year.

According to the girl’s family, he had previously admitted his mistake when the matter was raised on the spot and apologized. But despite that, he forcibly took her away and raped her after which she tried to hang herself at home, they said.