Synopsis
Tensions rise in Suri, West Bengal, following the alleged rape of a minor girl inside a grocery store by its owner. Locals protest as police seek justice.Key Takeaways
- Minor girl reportedly assaulted in grocery shop.
- Accused shop owner evades police capture.
- Local residents protest and vandalize shop.
- Police maintain order amidst rising tensions.
- West Bengal faces scrutiny over rising crime rates.
Kolkata, Jan 22 (NationPress) A wave of tension swept through Suri, the administrative center of Birbhum in West Bengal, on Wednesday following the alleged assault on a minor girl inside a locked grocery establishment by its owner. The suspect, identified as Pradip Kirtaniya, is currently evading capture. Authorities have detained the elder brother of the accused for interrogation.
Reports indicate that a woman residing near the grocery shop in Hatjon, a combined commercial and residential area in Suri, witnessed the minor girl entering the shop to make a purchase on Tuesday night. She also observed the shop owner leading the girl inside. When the girl failed to exit the locked shop, the witness promptly alerted the victim's family.
The victim’s family, accompanied by local residents, rushed to the shop and began banging on the door. However, insiders from the district police revealed that the accused managed to escape through a back exit after seizing the girl. The minor returned home shortly after and recounted her traumatic experience. The police were notified immediately, and she was taken for a medical examination that same night.
By Wednesday morning, locals had gathered outside the grocery store, with some enraged youths vandalizing parts of the shop. When local police arrived, they were met with protests from the crowd. Some youths even blocked roads by setting tires ablaze. Senior police officials attempted to pacify the demonstrators, urging them to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
A significant police presence has been established in the area to maintain order.
West Bengal has recently been in the spotlight for negative reasons due to a string of reports involving sexual assault and rape-murder incidents. One of the most shocking cases involved the brutal rape and murder of a female doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last August. A civic volunteer was sentenced to life imprisonment for that crime by a special Kolkata court on January 20.
