Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Priyank Kanoongo, who visited the Tiljala police station in Kolkata on Friday to probe the alleged murder of a seven-year-old girl, accused a senior police inspector of manhandling and beating him inside the police station.
After a seven-year-old girl was abducted and killed by her neighbour in Kolkata’s Tiljala area a couple of days ago, the NCPCR took cognisance of the matter and sent a letter to the DGP of West Bengal Police. The NCPCR chief arrived at the Tiljala police station on Friday and spoke to the investigating officer about the murder case.
After coming out of the police station, Priyank Kanoongo alleged that he was beaten up by officer Biswak Mukherjee inside the police station.
Sharing details about the incident on Twitter, he wrote, “Bengal police officer Biswak Mukherjee… beat me up at Tiljila police station in West Bengal.The policemen @NCPCR_were surreptitiously recording the investigation proceedings. They beat me up for protesting.”
पश्चिम बंगाल के तिलजिला थाने में बंगाल पुलिस के अफ़सर बिस्वाक मुखर्जी ने मेरे साथ छीना छपटी व मार पीट की है।
पुलिस के लोग @NCPCR_ की जाँच कार्यवाही की चोरी छिपे रिकॉर्डिंग कर रहे थे।
विरोध करने पर मेरे साथ मार पीट की है।— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) March 31, 2023
The Kolkata Police, however, refuted the allegations made by the NCPCR chairperson.
When India Today contacted senior inspector Biswas Mukherjee, who also holds the post of officer-in-charge of Tiljala police station, he said, “Honorable NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanungo visited our police station to conduct his investigation. We completely cooperated with him and shared all the information he required in connection with the case.”
The senior inspector said that the NCPCR chairperson spoke to him in his cabin.
“As one of our cameras inside the police station was not functional, a body camera was kept inside the police station to record everything. When it came to his (Kanungo’s) notice, he got angry and tried to take the camera,” said the police officer.
According to sources in the police, officers present there stopped Kanungo from taking the camera inside the police station.
Inspector Biswak Mukherjee said, “I apologised to him, stating that if he wanted, he could delete the footage but not take the camera with him as per protocol. This time, the honorable chairperson forcibly took the camera.”
The officer-in-charge said that the police personnel present there forcibly took the camera from Kanungo’s hand. “We did not manhandle or beat him as he is claiming. He shouted that the police were beating him up,” said Mukherjee.
It has been learnt that NCPCR chief lodged a written complaint with a DCP of Kolkata Police against senior inspector Biswas Mukherjee.
A senior officer working with Kolkata Police said, “Biswak Mukherjee is a very senior inspector and well known for his good work in the force. This is a baseless allegation against the senior inspector. This is very painful and unfortunate if a person like him (Kanungo) raises this kind of baseless allegation.”
A day prior to his scheduled visit, the NCPCR chairperson alleged that the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) are “never happy with our Bengal visits” and that the state body wrote to him that his “visit is not really necessary.”
A seven-year-old girl was abducted and killed by her neighbour in Kolkata’s Tiljala area, sparking protests against the state government.
