Kolkata, 24 February (H.S.) – Trinamool Congress (TMC) state general secretary Kunal Ghosh has strongly condemned the tragic incident in Panagarh, where a young dancer lost her life in a road accident while trying to escape from harassers. Expressing his outrage, Ghosh stated, These people have a perverted mindset. The accused should be stripped and paraded on the streets so that no one dares to commit such crimes again.

The horrific event took place late on Sunday night. The victim, Sutandra Chatterjee, was traveling from Chandannagar to Gaya, Bihar, along with four companions. Their car halted at a petrol pump near Budbud in West Bardhaman district for refueling. As they resumed their journey towards Panagarh, a white car began chasing them.

Reports suggest that the car was occupied by five young men who passed lewd comments at Sutandra. The situation escalated when the accused deliberately rammed their vehicle into the victim’s car, forcing it onto a divider. When the victim and her companions decided to report the incident to the police, the accused struck their vehicle again, causing it to overturn. Sutandra was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

The incident has once again raised serious concerns about women’s safety in the state.

Reacting sharply, Kunal Ghosh remarked, The police are doing their job. This is not just a law-and-order issue, but a matter of public safety. Such criminals must be punished in a way that deters others from committing similar crimes.

He further stated that while crime rates have decreased compared to previous years, the government must ensure that such incidents come to a complete halt.

As the investigation continues, the state administration faces mounting pressure to take stringent action against the accused and address the growing concerns over women's security in Bengal.

Hindusthan Samachar / S P Singh