Minister's Remarks at Kharagpur BJP Office Inauguration

West Bengal Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh, speaking at the inauguration of a BJP party office in his Kharagpur assembly constituency, said the state government has given police a free hand to act against gangsters. He declared that “threat culture” has become a thing of the past and asked police to adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward criminal elements. “No mafia will be allowed to step foot on the soil of Kharagpur,” he asserted, as quoted by ThePrint and The Hindu.

Ghosh, who is also the MLA of Kharagpur, said that if a crime is grave and the situation warrants, “encounter by the police will be the last resort.” He added that “police will only press the trigger to prevent criminal activities,” according to The New Indian Express.

Support for Police Excess

Ghosh defended police excesses, saying they are sometimes necessary to keep mafias and anti-social elements under control. “Let the police overreact. It is always better than allowing mafias and diehard anti-social elements to overreact,” he said, as quoted by Lokmat Times. Deccan Chronicle quoted him as saying, “Police excess is better than the excess by goons and mafia. Only then peace can prevail. We want to give people peace.”

He acknowledged complaints about police excess and said they would be addressed, noting that videos of police chasing and catching addicts have circulated. “The police have started their job. But many are now complaining of police excess,” he said, according to Deccan Chronicle.

Attack on Previous TMC Regime

Ghosh launched a scathing attack on the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime, alleging that it nurtured mafia and anti-social elements by keeping police inactive. “Earlier, the police used to run the mafia kingdom in collaboration with gangsters and mafia leaders. Now, this will not happen,” he said, as reported by Lokmat Times. He said the new state government will not tolerate police personnel becoming party cadres.

The Times of India reported that Ghosh said criminal networks operated with political backing and police inaction in the past, causing local businesses to operate under fear. He said the administration has begun shutting down illegal operations, drug syndicates, and extortion, and that over 200 individuals involved in the drug trade have been detained.

Baruipur Encounter as Precedent

Ghosh cited the killing of Prabhas Mondal in Baruipur as an example of police action. Mondal, the main accused in the Baruipur minor rape and murder case, was shot dead on the night of July 8 while allegedly trying to escape from police custody during a crime scene reconstruction. Police said they retaliated in self-defence after the accused fired a round, as detailed by The New Indian Express.

The New Indian Express reported that Ghosh said the "Baruipur encounter policy" could be implemented in Kharagpur to eliminate local gangsters. "You (criminals) have to face bullets before you take your meal 'daal, bhat' soon after you step in Kharagpur," he warned.

Context of the Baruipur Case

The New Indian Express provided extensive background on the Baruipur incident. The victim's body was found in a sack in Surjyapur Haat on July 5. Residents protested by blocking roads, burning tyres, and damaging police vehicles. Hours after the body was recovered, a man identified as Indrajit Mondal was lynched by a mob on suspicion of involvement. Authorities imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in Baruipur, Narendrapur, and Sonarpur areas. The preliminary post-mortem report found injuries to the girl's private parts, scratches, bite marks, and a head injury.

Hope for Peace Before Durga Puja

Ghosh expressed hope that peace would be restored in the Kharagpur area before Durga Puja, as reported by The New Indian Express. He said "threat culture" has become a thing of the past in West Bengal, and that no mafia will be allowed to operate in Kharagpur.

The minister's remarks have drawn attention for their strong language, but no official response from the TMC or other parties was included in the reports.

Perspectives

  • Dilip Ghosh: The minister argues that police excess is necessary to control mafia and anti-social elements, and that the previous TMC regime nurtured crime by keeping police inactive. He says the free hand given to police will restore peace.
  • No alternative viewpoint was provided in the material: The reports do not include any response from the Trinamool Congress, civil liberties groups, or other critics of the police's actions.