TMC leader's son arrested over suspected rape of minor; family alleges 'forced cremation'

After being allegedly gang-raped at a birthday party in Hanskhali in West Bengal's Nadia district, a minor girl died shortly after that, leading to tensions in the area. Following this, police arrested the son of a Trinamool Congress panchayat member Samar Goala on Sunday in connection to the case. 

The case came to light after the family members of the minor girl lodged a complaint against the TMC leader's son, accusing him of gang-raping their daughter with his group of friends last week. The family also claimed that the son of the TMC panchayat member was the main accused. 

'She died before we could take her to the hospital': Family of the minor girl

According to their complaint, the son of the TMC leader had organized a birthday party at his residence on Monday afternoon and the girl went there to attend the party. However, she came back in an ailing condition and died soon after that. "Our daughter was bleeding profusely and was also facing severe abdominal pain when she came back from the party organized by the local TMC leader's son. She died before we could take her to the hospital", the family told the media. 

In addition to this, the family further claimed that they spoke to the people present at the party after which they ascertained that their daughter was gang-raped by the accused and his group of friends. Four days after the incident, the parents of the minor who was a Class 9 student lodged a complaint against the accused at the Hanskhali police station on Saturday following which the police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. 

Meanwhile, the family of the girl has also alleged that a group of people forcibly took the minor's body for cremation even before her death certificate was issued. 

While reacting to the development, senior TMC leader and the state's Minister of Women and Child Development, Sashi Panja has stated that the ruling party has zero-tolerance for abuse of minors and women adding that there should not be any politics over the incident. She has also assured that the police will do everything possible to investigate and take further action.  

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has called for a 12-hour bandh in Hanskhali for protesting against the incident. 

Image: PTI