‘National child rights body chief mistreated its state Chairperson’

MP | 3 Apr 2023 | Kolkata: The central team’s visit to the state to conduct field work in the Tiljala and Malda cases was not the problem but the way they behaved was unfortunate, the state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare minister Shashi Panja said on Sunday. 

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had come to the state to do field work on the Tiljala case and the team, headed by Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo also visited Malda. A few days ago, a minor girl was allegedly abducted and murdered by her neighbour in Tiljala. 

The accused, Alok Kumar was arrested after the girl’s body was found in his flat wrapped inside a sack. The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) Chairperson Sudeshna Roy along with a consultant had visited the area and met with the deceased person’s father. They had taken cognizance of the issue and sought a report from the police. 

NCPCR Chairman Kanoongo had alleged that at Tiljala Police Station the proceedings of inquiry were being recorded by a body camera and when he had allegedly tried to take away the camera, he was physically stopped from doing so and the camera was forcibly taken from him. He has also alleged that the state team was disrupting their investigation at Gazole in Malda district of Bengal on Saturday. On March 18, a 13-year-old student was allegedly raped inside school premises. 

The NCPCR had sought suo moto cognizance in the case. Meanwhile, Roy claimed that they were not stopping the NCPCR team from investigating and that Kanoongo was trying to politicise the issue. She also levelled allegations of misconduct against the NCPCR chairperson. Also Read - Metro Rly services disrupted for an hour Referring to that, Panja said, “The way the chairperson (Kanoongo) mistreated the State Commission Chairperson at Tiljala. 

There were many people there who had witnessed the national Commission Chairperson saying ‘get out’ to a state Commission Chairperson. There was no need for that. Police doing were their work. No one wants to hide anything,” Panja said. According to Panja, the national Commission stated that no one had gone to check on the Malda incident for seven days. 

Giving a list of dates when action was taken, Panja said: “The incident had taken place on March 18 and the police arrest had taken place on March 19 while the medical test was conducted on March 19 and March 20. The Child Welfare Committee production of the child was done on March 20.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/driver-of-bus-that-toppled-on-mayo-road-arrested-513863?infinitescroll=1