West Bengal food minister Jyotipriya Mullick and Trinamul Congress MP Nurul Islam faced the wrath of local people who were protesting against the gangrape and murder of a second-year college student in Barasat area.
The angry protesters damaged Mr Islam’s car. In a bid to placate them, Mr Mullick promised a job for the brother of the victim.
The angry residents, who had protested with the body of the victim till midnight, on Saturday again organised a road blockade on Rajarhat More since morning. When Basirhat MP Islam arrived, they gheraoed him and shouted slogans. The situation turned ugly when the protesters targeted the MP’s car alleging that he had ordered the police to use lathicharge to disperse them.
Thereafter, the chief minister sent the food minister as her personal emissary.
However, even Mr Mullick could not escape the mob’s ire. He too was gheraoed and faced tough questions from the protesters. They told him that they would lift the blockade only if the chief minister personally came to the area. The locals complained about lack of proper lighting in the area which they said encouraged criminals to indulge in unsavoury activities like drinking, gambling, eve-teasing and molestation. They also demanded setting up of a police camp. Mr Mullick readily accepted the demands.
“The government is giving a job to a member of the bereaved family,” he said. Some protesters told him that the government must give the appointment letter before the panchayat polls, indicating that they did not have faith that the minister would keep his promise.