Kolkata Violence erupted over the murder of a seven-year-old child in Kolkata’s Tiljala area. Locals blocked roads and railways and vandalised police kiosks and vehicles. Some vehicles were also set on fire.
The child, a resident of Shri Dhar Roy Road, had gone missing since March 26 morning. After hours of search, the body of the girl child was found in an apartment in the locality. Locals alleged sexual assault on the deceased child. The flat owner was arrested and the body was sent for post-mortem. The incident triggered a flare-up on March 26 evening, but the police personnel from Tiljala police station brought the situation under control.
On March 27 morning the protesters blocked the railway line near Park Circus Station. The blockade continued for several hours. Vehicles were attacked on Bondel Road Flyover and the area remained out of reach for commuters for several hours. There was pelting of stones at the police and some police kiosks were also attacked. The entire area around the flyover resembled a battle zone with people resorting to the pelting of stones and attacking vehicles with sticks.
The violence engulfed parts of the city on the day when President Droupadi Murmu was visiting Kolkata. The locals who were protesting alleged a delay on the part of the police in acting on the basis of the missing complaint. By evening the situation went out of control and the police resorted to using force. “Some police vehicles and police kiosks were attacked. After showing a lot of restraint we chased the protesters away,” a senior police officer said. According to the police, they have video footage of the violence and they will trace out and arrest those culprits who indulged in the violence There was a huge deployment of police and personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the area to prevent any further flare up.
The development provided an opportunity for the Opposition to target the Trinamool Congress. “The ghastly incident at Tiljala is bone-chilling and traumatizing. People’s anger against CM @mamataofficial and her inept administration is out in the open. A Government which cannot protect the daughters of West Bengal doesn’t have the right to remain in power,” State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said on social media.
