South 24 Parganas, 06 July (H.S.): Bengal was already tense over the brutal Baruipur incident, in which the main accused was arrested within 24 hours of a SIT being formed. Amid this, questions over women's safety have been raised once again, this time in the Canning police station area, also in South 24 Parganas. A group of young men has been accused of severely molesting and harassing a Class 8 minor girl as she was returning home from tuition with her elder sister.
The Sunday evening incident sparked intense tension across the area. The accused fell victim to thrashing at the hands of an angry mob. Recognising the seriousness of the incident, Canning police station acted swiftly. Following an overnight search operation, four people have so far been arrested on charges of involvement in the case. According to police sources, the arrested accused will be produced before the Alipore court on Tuesday.
Local and police sources said on Monday that the minor girl from Canning was returning home from tuition with her elder sister on Sunday evening when seven young men riding a toto (auto-rickshaw) suddenly began following them. It is alleged that some of the youths blocked the Class 8 student's path and attempted to molest her. When the elder sister protested to protect her sibling, the youths allegedly hurled obscene abuses at both sisters. Badly shaken by the sudden incident, the two sisters somehow managed to save themselves and reach home, where they narrated the entire episode to their family.
Family members then began searching for the accused in the area. Within a short time, local residents identified and intercepted the toto in question. As questioning of the youths riding it began, inconsistencies in their statements started emerging one after another, sparking outrage in the area. The enraged crowd caught hold of the youths and began beating them, and the situation turned tense within moments.
On information, Canning police station personnel reached the spot and rescued three youths from the furious mob, bringing them to the police station. However, the remaining four accused reportedly fled the scene in the meantime. One more accused was later apprehended and handed over to police, while the search for the rest continues.
Once the situation settled, a written complaint was lodged by the victim's family at Canning police station on Sunday night. Based on this FIR, police have registered a case under several relevant and stringent sections of law, including molestation and endangering the safety of a minor, and have launched an investigation.
According to Canning police station sources, the four arrested accused are being held in custody as efforts continue to trace the whereabouts of the remaining absconding accused. Interrogation is also examining whether any other person instigated or was involved in the incident.
The incident has triggered intense outrage in the Canning area over alleged administrative inaction. A section of local residents has clearly demanded that the administration become far more active in ensuring the safety of schoolgirls returning from school, college, or tuition. Parents have demanded increased police patrolling at various points across Canning after evening hours. There have also been demands for a speedy trial in fast-track court and the harshest punishment for the accused.
Notably, state politics is already in turmoil over the rape and murder of a 12-year-old minor girl in Baruipur, also in South 24 Parganas. After the girl's body was recovered from a pond, a man died there too in a mob beating, an incident that has caused an uproar across all quarters. With the wounds of Baruipur still fresh, the Canning incident has raised fresh and serious questions over the law-and-order situation.
However, Canning police have stated that prompt legal action was taken as soon as the complaint was received, and that police custody may be sought for all four accused before the court. The remaining accused will also be apprehended soon. While avoiding any final comment on the matter before the investigation is complete, the district police administration has assured that the minor's family's complaint is being treated with the highest priority as the investigation proceeds.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
