BJP leader accused of giving death threats to POCSO victim’s family in Nadia

A wave of tension has gripped the Shantipur police station area in Nadia after the family of a minor sexual harassment victim alleged they are receiving death threats. The accused in the year and a half old Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case is currently in jail. However, the victim's family claims that a group led by a local BJP leader is constantly pressuring them to withdraw the ongoing legal case.

According to police and local sources, the original incident took place on September 22, 2024, when a neighbor was accused of molesting the minor girl. Following a written complaint by the victim’s family at the Shantipur police station, the police registered a case under the POCSO Act and arrested the accused, who has been in judicial custody ever since.

The political atmosphere in the region has intensified following the fresh allegations. The family reported that a local BJP booth president, alongside the jailed accused's relatives, barged into their house and threatened to kill them if the case wasn't dropped. Taking a dig at the ruling party, Trinamool Congress Gram Panchayat Pradhan Biren Mahato condemned the incident, stating that BJP workers are using intimidation since coming to power. On the other hand, BJP leader Sadanand Haldar stated that the accused was formerly a party worker and assured that the party would take appropriate action if the allegations against the current booth president are proven true.