State cop HQ seeks report on police ‘lapses’ in Baruipur case

Kolkata: The state police headquarters has started a probe into the allegations of lapses by police while investigating the rape and murder of the Baruipur minor.CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday that accountability would extend to the police if lapses were found during the investigation.

“If, after the missing diary was lodged, the local police administration was not sufficiently proactive or there was negligence on the part of any police personnel, I will show the police officer the door,” he said.The CM’s hard stance prompted Bhawani Bhawan, the state police headquarters, to seek a report from Baruipur SP Arvind Kumar Anand to ascertain if there was any lapse by cops in registering, investigating, and reacting to the rape and murder of the minor.

The SP has been asked to submit a detailed report explaining the role of the officer in charge and other police personnel, and including details of the official entries made in the GD to avoid another RG Kar rape-murder case fiasco.Preliminary findings have reportedly indicated some lapses, including a delay in launching a search. The victim’s uncle said, “Initially, there was definitely negligence on the part of the police.

Later, the IC (officer-in-charge) spoke to us. After that, the CM and functionaries from various political parties called us.”He further added, “On Sunday, we caught two individuals and handed them over to the police. But the police let one of them go. Why, I do not know.”State police sources claimed senior officials are “unhappy” with the role of senior officers in the district, with at least two of them coming under scrutiny for reaching the spot much later than expected.According to police sources, some grave allegations have been raised by locals regarding how police reacted to the probe. Primarily, it has been alleged that the “first clue” on the victim was provided by locals by scanning through CCTV footage, a job that was expected to be done by cops. Even when one of the accused, Prabhas Mondal, was identified, the locals accompanied officers to the pond where the body had been dumped.Locals have alleged that had the cops probed in earnest, the child could have been traced alive. The father had lodged a missing complaint by night, which mentioned the girl had said she was going to the market. The marketplace had CCTV cameras. The body was found the next morning barely a kilometre from the spot. All the prime accused were locals.