Amid high drama, a city court on Tuesday framed charges in the June 7 gangrape and murder case of a college student at Kamduni village in North 24 Parganas district. Protests were held outside the court demanding justice to the victim.
The court charged the accused under Sections 376 A (causing injury during rape leading to death) and 376 D (sexual assault by a gang), among others.
Nine persons were named in the charge sheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Eight are in police custody and one is still at large.
Counsel for the family members of the victim walked out of the courtroom in protest against the public prosecutors’ handling of the case, according to advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee who was one of them.
The family members of the victim had earlier written to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to change the public prosecutors appearing in the case stating that they do not have the experience in handling such cases.
Meanwhile protests were held outside the court premises by members of the Kamduni Pratibad Mancha, a group of individuals demanding justice for the victim.
The people, including a number of residents of the village, raised slogans demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case. Joyraj Bhattacharya, a member of the mancha said that police resorted to a baton charge on the protesters without any provocation. They were returning home when the police attacked them, he alleged.
“The brother of the victim was beaten up and many people including women have been detained and brought to the headquarters of the city police,” Mr Bhattacharya said. The victim’s brother was admitted to a state-run hospital.
On being informed that the family members of the victim were trying to meet her, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told journalists at Barasat, the headquarters of the North 24 Parganas district, that she had already visited the house of the victim.
“Whatever the CID could do it has done… I want the judgment delivered as soon as possible,” Ms. Banerjee said.
