Rape Threat To Abhishek Banerjee’s Minor Daughter; Child Rights Panel Seeks Police Action

Kolkata: Amid the widespread outrage over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, the West Bengal child rights body has taken cognizance of rape threat to the 11-year-old daughter of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee.

A video circulating on social media from a protest rally over the brutal murder on August 9 was brought to the notice of West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which has taken suo motu cognizance.

According to the panel, one person in the gathering was heard threatening the minor daughter of TMC general secretary Abhishek with rape and publicly announcing a reward of Rs 10 crore to anyone who commits it.

“Such filthy intention of the miscreant and his indecent remark in public amounts to outraging the modesty of a minor girl and also endangering her safety and security,” the commission said in a statement.

The panel asked police to take action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the UN Convention on Rights of a Child, and sought an action taken report (ATR) within two days.

“While the entire state is mourning the sad demise of the doctor at RG Kar, calling for another rape to settle scores is clearly violative of the law and could send out a dangerous message to society if punitive measures are not taken. This can put not just the minor girl in question but all minor girls at risk,” the commission said.

“Fight us politically with your filthy tricks. You have done it before. But today you have crossed the line. Stop threatening kids. No words enough to condemn the gutter level threats to our National General Secretary’s daughter. STOP THIS NOW,” senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien wrote on X.

Massive protests are going on in Kolkata and other districts over the August 9 rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run hospital.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the case following a Calcutta High Court order.