Expressing dismay over the slow progress of investigation by the state police into the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl at Kaliaganj in North Dinajpur district, the Calcutta High Court today constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), which includes two retired officers, to probe the matter.

The SIT formed by Justice Rajasekhar Mantha comprises Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police Damayanti Sen, retired IG Pankaj Dutta, and retired Joint Director of the CBI Upen Biswas.

The probe by the SIT will be under the direct supervision of the high court. While ordering the formation of the SIT, Justice Mantha observed that since the current investigating team is under tremendous pressure, the matter is being handed over to the SIT.

At the same time, Justice Mantha also enforced an embargo on the three members of the SIT not to discuss anything related to the case in the public domain.

While passing the order, Justice Mantha also authorised the SIT to arrange for a second autopsy of the victim if the members of the team deem that to be necessary.

He also directed the state police to hand over all the documents related to the case, including the case diary, to the SIT at the earliest. The police have also been directed to present its preliminary investigation report in the matter before the next date of hearing. Justice Mantha also directed the police to make security arrangements for the family members of the victim, a minor girl.

To recall, on 21 April, parts of Kaliaganj turned into virtual battlefields following violent protests by the local people against the alleged rape and murder of the minor girl.

The class-XII girl of Gangua village was found dead near pond in the nearby Palaibari village on 21 April. Claiming that the girl was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a youth from a nearby village, locals and family members had put up a protest, while the same escalated later when police were seen “dragging” the body of the girl from the spot. Later, the protesters, demanding CBI inquiry into the death, also torched offices at the Kaliyaganj Police Station. Four ASIs were suspended in connection with the minor girl’s death case, who were seen dragging the body of the teenage victim.

The family of the deceased girl had filed a case in the High court and sought CBI investigations. The family has also buried the body instead of cremating it, hoping for a re-postmortem and further investigations.

“The family members and locals claimed that the girl was killed after raping. The family members demanded CBI investigations. We had received reports that the police had been hiding the truth. We were not satisfied with the post-mortem report too. As such we had also sought CBI investigations. The High Court today constituted the SIT. This proves that people have no faith in the police of the state,” BJP MP of Raiganj Debasree Chaudhuri said.

The mother of the deceased, on the other hand, said, “We came to know that police had been trying to hide the truth. As such we had sought CBI investigations. We hope that the SIT will provide us real justice.”