Protests in Kolkata take dark turn with rape threat against TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's daughter

The child rights body acted on its own initiative after a video from a protest rally, held in response to the horrific August 9 incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, surfaced on social media.

Amid a social media uproar over the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata, the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken serious note of a disturbing rape threat against the minor daughter of Trinamool Congress MP and National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. Banerjee, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, holds a top position within the party.

The child rights body acted on its own initiative after a video from a protest rally, held in response to the horrific August 9 incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, surfaced on social media.

In the video, a protestor was reportedly heard threatening Abhishek Banerjee's daughter with rape and even offering a ₹10 crore reward for anyone who would carry out the act.

The commission condemned the threat, stating that such remarks not only outrage the modesty of a minor but also pose a serious risk to her safety and security. They have called on the police to take stringent action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The police have been asked to submit an action taken report within two days.

The West Bengal government and the ruling Trinamool Congress are already under intense scrutiny for their handling of the doctor’s rape-murder case, which has sparked widespread protests in Kolkata.

The case has since been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following a Calcutta High Court order. Before the transfer, Kolkata Police had arrested one suspect, Sanjoy Roy, while the CBI's investigation is still ongoing.