Authors
Following Trinamool Congress’ landslide win in West Bengal, reports of violence against members of multiple political parties have been circulating online. Amid this, images of rape-murder of woman from West Medinipur District have been widely shared on social media platforms, claiming she was part of the BJP Mahila Morcha.
This claim has been shared in Malayalam and Hindi.
Fact Check / Verification
As per news report, the current toll due to post-poll violence in West Bengal stands between 11 and 14, the police have not yet confirmed the numbers.
Newschecker reached out to SI Sankha Chatterjee of West Medinipur district to verify the claim. He said, “the incident took place on 3 May. The victim’s family members found her body behind her house. She was allegedly raped and murdered by labourers at a nearby construction site. Three accused have been arrested, two of whom are from West Bengal, while the third is from Jharkhand.”
Chatterjee clarified that the victim is not a BJP Mahila Morcha activist nor has any connection with the BJP.
We also contacted the victim’s neighbours who also affirmed that the victim was a student and had no connection with the BJP. They added that “the victim had taken a stroll to the construction site behind the house, after which she did not return. Later, she was found by her father in a very bad condition at the construction site. Police sent her body for postmortem and have arrested three labourers (two male and one female) who worked at the construction site.”
As per news reports from TV9 Bangla , Bangla News Live and Hindustan Times Bangla a 21-year-old student of Debra College was raped and murdered in Jamna area of Pingla in West Medinipur. Three people including a woman labourer have been arrested in relation to this allegation. Autopsy results are awaited to ascertain cause of death. None of these reports mention the victim to be a BJP worker.
Also Read: Claims on 5G Testing Radiation Being The Cause Of India’s Second COVID-19 Wave Are False
Conclusion
The rape and murder of a young woman in Pingla, West Medinipur district have been linked to post-poll violence in West Bengal, with a claim that she was a BJP worker. This is despite the woman’s family, neighbour and police denying that the crime had any political association.
Result: Misleading
Our Sources
SI Sankha Chatterjee, West Medinipur district
Hindustan Times Bangla: https://bangla.hindustantimes.com/bengal/districts/student-raped-and-murdered-in-abandoned-house-woman-arrested-in-pingla-including-2-labors-31620142609692.htm
If you would like us to fact check a claim, give feedback or lodge a complaint, WhatsApp us at 9999499044 or email us at checkthis@newschecker.in. You can also visit the Contact Us page and fill the form.
