BJP wants team to monitor Barasat police

Stating that Barasat in North 24 Parganas district is constantly in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rahul Sinha here on Monday demanded that a team be formed to supervise the Barasat police.

Sourav Chowdhury, a college student, was killed on July 2 in Bamongachi near Barasat allegedly for protesting anti-social activities in the area. Sourav’s brother Sandip Chowdhury had claimed that Sourav’s killers were earlier sheltered by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and are now by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). After visiting Sourav’s family, Mr. Sinha had said that Sourav was a BJP worker and was involved in the party’s activities during the Lok Sabha polls.

“Barasat is constantly making headlines for incidents of crime. This suggests that there are loopholes in the functioning of the police and the administration. None of the accused in the past crimes have been arrested yet. People are losing faith in the police,” Mr. Sinha told media persons.

“The police did a commendable job of looking for Sourav when he was reported missing. However, once his body was found, the police suddenly seemed disinterested to nab the culprits,” Mr. Sinha said.

“A monitoring committee comprising retired senior police officials, who are disassociated with the State, should be formed to supervise the functioning of the police in Barasat,” Mr. Sinha said, adding that the Centre should ask for a CBI inquiry into Sourav’s death.

“Earlier, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in the Opposition, she would ask for a CBI inquiry at the drop of a hat. Why, now, is she resisting CBI inquiries when they are actually needed?” Mr. Sinha questioned.

Party inducts new members

Claiming that the BJP has inducted more than one lakh new members after the Lok Sabha elections in May, he announced that four members joined the party on Monday.

Former captain of East Bengal football team Swapan Sengupta, former Congress councillor in Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district Ramesh Sahu, former TMC councillor in Siuri in Birbhum district Dipak Das, and Haji Sheikh Naseeruddin were inducted.