Kamduni rape-murder victim’s family attends Bengal CM’s ‘Janata Darbar’

Family members of the Kamduni rape-murder victim met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during his Janata Darbar, seeking support for justice. The meeting came after discussions on reopening the 2013 case, which had triggered widespread protests over women’s safety

Kolkata: Family members of the Kamduni rape-murder victim attended West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s ‘Janata Darbar’ programme on Wednesday, days after state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya spoke about reopening the files of the crime committed 13 years ago.

Two prominent faces of the protests that followed the 2013 Kamduni incident, Tumpa Koyal and Mousumi Koyal, accompanied the family members of the victim during their meeting with the chief minister.

---

“Representations received during the ‘Janata Darbar’ will be processed through the appropriate administrative channels,” a state government official said.

Adhikari has been holding his ‘Janata Darbar’ to listen to grievances of people on several issues and instruct officials to redress them promptly. The first such weekly programme was held on May 18. Adhikari had announced this initiative after taking charge as chief minister, saying citizens would be able to meet him directly every week.

In 2013, a college student returning home in North 24 Parganas’ Kamduni was dragged into a farm, gang-raped and murdered. Her mutilated body was found the next morning. The incident had triggered a major outcry in the state amid concerns over women’s safety.

Three years later, a sessions court sentenced three accused to death and three others to life imprisonment in the case. The Calcutta High Court later commuted the death sentences of the two to life imprisonment and acquitted a third death-row convict. It had reduced the life sentence of three other convicts.

Adhikari had alleged that the previous TMC government had been “opposing” the Kamduni rape-and-murder victim’s family in their pursuit for justice in the Supreme Court, and said his administration would extend a helping hand by providing them with legal assistance.

The victim’s family had approached the apex court, alleging that justice had not been served. It was also alleged that the state had failed to place crucial facts before the courts and the police did not investigate the crime properly.

In the aftermath of the Kamduni incident, then-chief minister Mamata Banerjee had visited the place and faced protests from locals. She alleged that Maoists were among the protesters, a remark that drew sharp criticism.