Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition raised serious allegations of foul play in the death of an 18-year-old schoolgirl, whose body was found under mysterious circumstances near the office of the superintendent of police (SP) in Krishnagar. Adhikari has claimed the incident is being framed as a suicide by the police, but he believes the girl was murdered.

The body of the teenager was discovered inside a Durga Puja pandal at Ramkrishnapara in Krishnagar on 16 October, the day of Lakshmi Puja. The victim was found with severe burns on her face, chest, and other parts of her body, sparking widespread speculation and concern. Despite the ongoing police investigation, Adhikari voiced suspicion over the handling of the case, accusing the police of rushing to cremate the body before the family could fully comprehend the situation.

Advertisement

After visiting the victim’s family in Uttar Kalinagar today, Mr Adhikari said, “The family is poor and unaware of legal procedures. The police have taken advantage of their confusion and sent the body for cremation swiftly, similar to what was done in the R G Kar hospital case.” He met the victim’s parents at 10.30 am and spent an hour discussing their plight, assuring them of legal support.

Adhikari criticised the investigation, claiming that the state’s doctors may be pressured into concluding the death as a suicide in the post-mortem report. “The BJP family will stand by the victim’s family until they get justice,” he said, stressing his commitment to the case.

Accompanied by Ranima of the Krishnagar Royal family, Mrs Amrita Roy, and several legislative members, Adhikari made it clear that he believes there is more to the story than what the authorities are presenting.

The state government responded to the incident by forming a special investigation team (SIT), led by Krishnagar SP K Amarnath, with support from senior officers, including ADG (south Bengal) Supratim Sarkar and DIG (CID) Soma Das. The team, along with forensic experts, has collected evidence from the crime scene, including a bottle containing a bluish liquid believed to be kerosene.

SP Amarnath stated that the investigation is ongoing and that it is too early to determine whether the death was a result of suicide or homicide. “We are awaiting the post-mortem and forensic test reports, which will help us understand the nature of the death. We are also analyzing the victim’s cell phone records and the geo-location data of potential suspects,” he said.