Tension reigned supreme at Janta Nagar in Ward-44 in Siliguri, a day after local people clashed with the police, demanding stringent action against the person arrested in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a nine-year-old-girl. Condemning the crime, state tourism minister Gautam Deb on Monday warned political parties against provoking people and adding fuel to the fire that has been set by the incident in the town. Seven policemen were injured when the protesters pelted the police with stones in the area last evening.

Police had to resort to baton-charge to disperse the mob, while eight persons, including a woman, were arrested. A large contingent of police force was deployed in the area. As they met minister Deb, local women like Kalpana Debnath, Arati Debnath and Maya Saha demanded strong action against Surajit Sarkar and his family, the owners of the building where the crime was committed. Mr Deb met family members of the victim, even as the local people raised slogans and demanded exemplary punishment for the accused.

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Sarkar, the accused and the son of the landowner, was arrested yesterday. The victim and her family were staying as tenants in the fourstorey building, where the girl was sexually assaulted before being murdered. Her body was recovered from the terrace of the building at around 2.30 am on 26 January.

Charges have been framed against the accused under sections 302 of the IPC (punishment for murder) and section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012. The incident sparked widespread protests in Siliguri. “The incident is very painful and unfortunate. I find no words to condemn the incident. One person has been arrested and police have started investigations. There is no question of shielding anybody. We are also for exemplary punishment,” Mr Deb said.

He, however, said that the incident should not be given a political colour. “There are some issues which should be judged by rising above politics. This one is not a political issue. There have been attempts to create disturbances in the area in a designed manner.

We cannot tolerate if disturbance is created involving anti-socials and outsiders. Left candidates win from the Ward traditionally, but that is not an issue, and we do not want to take to the streets by showing our political strength in such a situation, but if anybody tries to destabilise the situation, attack police stations and police personnel and affect normal life, we will not accept that. No one should take law in their hands. We want the family members of the victim to get justice,” the minister said.

Protesting the incident, the CPI-M and the BJP organised protest rallies in the area, while Trinamul Congress leaders said BJP was largely responsible for the violence. Mr Deb said both the CPI-M and the BJP should raise their voices in a democratic manner. “Everyone should understand that nobody is above the law. We appeal to all that protests should be democratic. Do not try to play with fire as that can burn your own hands,” he said. Darjeeling district CPI-M secretary Jibesh Sarkar, meanwhile, countered: “The Trinamul Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal and the party’s Darjeeling district president and minister Gautam Deb are saying that law should take its own course.

But how can law take its own course when the mother of the accused is a local leader of the Trinamul?” General secretary of the Siliguri Organisational District of the BJP Abhjit Roy Chowdhury said the party will continue its movement on the issue. “The mother (Sumati Sarkar) of the accused is associated with the Trinamul Congress. As such, such pep talks do not suit him (minister Deb). The BJP is in favour of a democratic movement and the party will continue to do so,” he said.

Asok seeks CM intervention

Meanwhile, Siliguri mayor Asok Bhattacharya wrote to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking her intervention in the matter ahead of her proposed visit to Siliguri on 5 February. “… such incidents have occurred in Siliguri for the past few years. As the accused persons are not given exemplary punishment, such incidents repeat. Like in other incidents, the accused persons are associated with the ruling party this time too. The accused Surajit, Biswajit are involved in rowdyism and their mother is a leader of the ruling party… according to the local people, police were trying to shield the accused and taking their side,” the letter reads.