Bengal abduction: BJP plans protest

KOLKATA: The Bengal BJP is set to launch a state-wide agitation highlighting the abduction of a teenager who has been untraceable since May as “a symbol of Bengal’s failing law and order system”.

BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh visited the girl’s residence at Magrahat in South 24 Parganas on Sunday while chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Lalita Kumaramangalam, is scheduled to visit her house on Monday.

The girl, 14, was allegedly abducted in February this year. She was later released back to her family. In May, however, she went missing again.

“Mongrahat has become a point of discussion because a minor has been kidnapped for over 85 days now and the police have failed to trace the kidnappers or the kidnapped. This is because the kidnappers are somehow linked with the TMC. We will initiate a state wide agitation over the issue of lack of security for women in Bengal, apart from break down of law and order in the state,” Singh said.

Following a petition by the girl’s family, the Calcutta high court on Thursday instructed the DGP to rescue the teenager within 10 days and produce her before the court on July 27.

The Bengal BJP leadership, including state president Rahul Sinha, has been on an indefinite sit-in demonstration in front of the girl’s residence at Magrahat for the last three days.

The Trinamool Congress termed the BJP campaign ‘political’ and ‘devoid of any merit’.

THE 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WAS ALLEGEDLY ABDUCTED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR AND RELEASE LATER BUT IN MAY, SHE WENT MISSING AGAIN