Kin of minor girl killed in Kaliganj bomb blast demands CBI probe

Kolkata, June 25 (IANS) With four arrests made in connection with the death of a 13-year-old girl in a bomb blast at Kaliganj in West Bengal's Nadia district two days ago, the family members of the victim have accused the district police of shielding the main accused persons in the case and have floated the necessity of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the matter, officials said on Wednesday.

The victim's family members and the local people have alleged that the minor girl, Tamanna Khatun, was killed after getting hit by splinters of a bomb that was hurled during a victory procession of the ruling Trinamool Congress to celebrate the victory of its party candidate Alifa Ahmed in Kaliganj bypolls, the results of which were declared on Monday.

The victim's mother Sabina Yasmin has accused the investigating officials of the district police of ignoring the political angle behind the event of hurling bombs from the victory procession exclusively targeting her residence in which her daughter was killed.

According to Yasmin, her residence was specially targeted since her entire family is ideologically inclined to and was actively associated with the CPI-M for a long time.

Secondly, she questioned how just four persons have been arrested so far, despite around 40 to 50 bombs being hurled targeting her residence within a short period, which was not possible by just four miscreants.

"The selective attacks on families associated with CPI-M started only after the end of the 11th round of counting when the trend already showed the victory for the ruling party candidate. They hurled bombs targeting every side of my residence, including the attic. There were crude bomb splinters all over my residence. Even I received a head injury. I have seen those who were hurling the crude bombs. I know their faces and all of them are actively associated with the Trinamool Congress," the victim's mother said.

On Tuesday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance in connection with the death of a 13-year-old girl in a bomb blast at Kaliganj and sought answers to some queries in the matter from the Krishnanagar District Superintendent of Police, Amarnath K, under whose jurisdiction Kaliganj comes.

The first query is whether the district police made adequate security arrangements over the victory procession of the Trinamool Congress on Monday.

The second query was on whether there was not any intelligence input over possible violence in connection with the victory procession and whether any person present there was carrying firearms or bombs.

The commission had sought answers to the queries within 72 hours from the time of sending the communique on this count to the district police authorities.

--IANS

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