The horrific rape and murder of a minor girl in West Bengal’s Baruipur, around 30 km from Kolkata, a lynching, allegations of a local BJP leader helping the accused, and Mamata Banerjee’s claims of being put under house arrest have posed the first major challenge for the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government. The challenge for Suvendu is twofold – ensure steadfast justice in the case amid allegations by locals of delayed police response, and contain ‘street fighter’ Mamata.
Last week, the small town of Baruipur erupted after the body of the 12-year-old, who went missing hours ago, was found in a pond, stuffed inside a gunny bag. What added to the outrage was the brutality of the crime. The preliminary autopsy revealed that the girl was sexually abused and tortured before being thrown into the pond when she was still alive. Much of the anger was against the administration, with the minor’s family alleging that the police did not promptly initiate an investigation to find the missing girl.
The body of the 12-year-old was recovered from a pond in Baruipur
MAMATA BANERJEE ON OFFENSIVE
The incident has provided Mamata her first major opportunity to mount a political attack on the BJP government since its historic May election win. Suvendu understands it very well, having been one of her trusted aides for years.
Despite a split in the Trinamool and the party being the weakest since its inception, Mamata remains single-handedly capable of galvanising the streets and setting the political narrative in the state. It was seen on Monday, as the feisty TMC supremo led a candlelight rally despite cops putting up guardrails around her Kalighat residence.
The BJP knows very well that the sight of Mamata hitting the streets does not augur well for it. Mamata’s fearless image of a street fighter has been the bedrock of her political career.
On Sunday, there was a heavy deployment of police and central forces outside Mamata’s residence. Barricades were installed, and at least 10 police vehicles were stationed in the narrow lane. The TMC alleged that it was aimed at preventing Mamata from visiting the family of the victim.
In a post, Mamata alleged that she was put under “house arrest”. “I don’t know why they are not letting me go out. I don’t know why I am such a threat?” Mamata said.
The BJP, however, called it a routine security arrangement for a Z-plus category protectee, and accused the TMC of trying to “manufacture a controversy”.
On Monday, a TMC delegation of the Mamata faction, led by MPs Dola Sen and Pratima Mondal, met the victim’s parents. The party also launched a sharp attack on Suvendu for not finding time to visit Baruipur.
“Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi never found the time to visit Manipur despite the continuing violence there, you too failed to find the time to meet the family,” the Trinamool posted on X.
The rebel TMC faction, on the other hand, took a completely different stance, expressing faith in the BJP government to deliver justice.
For a ‘weakened’ Mamata, the incident has provided her an opportunity to reclaim the opposition space.
FIRST BIG TEST FOR BJP
What has further put the BJP government in a spot is allegations by locals of lethargic police action. Residents also alleged that a BJP leader, Shantanu Mondol, tried to help one of the accused flee police custody. Mondol’s house was also ransacked by angry locals. However, Mondol has claimed that he was trying to help the police nab the accused.
The minor left her home on July 4 at around 4.30 pm to buy a birthday gift for a friend. After she didn’t return home, her family informed the police. However, the family claimed that the initial police response was slow.
The family, along with some locals, started a search themselves. After scanning the CCTV footage, two youths were spotted near the area. One of them, wearing a blue cap, was seen with the minor.
Around 4 am on Sunday, the locals reached the residence of the youth seen wearing a blue cap. Under pressure, the youth disclosed that the girl was taken away by 3-4 people. He also revealed the location where the girl’s body was dumped.
At around 9 am, the girl’s body was fished out from a pond, barely metres away from her residence.
The minor’s mother said that had the police got cracking earlier, the girl “might have been alive today”.
“When we filed a missing person complaint, it was around 9 pm on Saturday. Had the police started a search operation then, went through CCTV footage, my daughter could have been found alive,” she told The Indian Express.
The preliminary post-mortem report added to the outrage. It revealed severe injury marks on her private parts. There were scratch and bite marks across her body. The report suggested that the girl was struck with a heavy object on her head before being stuffed inside a sack.
The autopsy also found water in the girl’s lungs and stomach, suggesting that she was still alive when she was thrown into the pond.
As the details of the brutality of the crime trickled in, a massive crowd gathered in the main market area of Baruipur. Angry locals blocked roads, burnt tyres, squatted on railway tracks, and vandalised police vehicles.
The incident took a violent turn when a mob allegedly lynched a man, Indrajit Tanti (26), accusing him of being involved in the crime. Chief Minister Suvendu claimed that the lynching had a “communal angle” and warned the protesters who resorted to violence of stern action.
KEY ACCUSED, TWO OTHERS ARRESTED
As Baruipur boiled, the police eventually arrested three people on Monday, including main accused Ananda Sardar. Ananda is believed to be known to the girl’s family. A fourth accused is on the run.
According to a report in Anandabazar Patrika, locals claimed they caught Ananda and handed him over to cops on Sunday, but he mysteriously went missing from the Suryapur police camp.
The allegations of “shielding the culprits” and lax police action have revived memories of symptoms familiar during the previous TMC regime.
Just months into office, the Baruipur case poses the first major law-and-order challenge for Suvendu. Beyond ensuring a swift probe, the BJP government also has to counter ‘street fighter’ Mamata, who has got her first major opening to attack the government. It remains to be seen how Suvendu handles the twin challenge.
– Ends
Published By:
Abhishek De
Published On:
Jul 7, 2026 12:52 IST
