Another elderly woman's nude body was recovered at Katwa in Burdwan district on Wednesday. Though the police would not comment on whether it was a case of rape, the locals said the 75-year-woman had indeed been raped and murdered. A third rape-and-murder case was reported from Jamboni area of West Midnapore where a teenager was first raped and then killed by some unknown assailants.
The incidents took place within a week of a 72-year-old nun who was raped at Ranaghat in Nadia district kicking-off a big storm and forcing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to order a CBI enquiry in the case.
The critics, however, said by ordering a CBI enquiry the Chief Minister deprived the Opposition of a lively political issue before the civic elections. "Now if the CBI fails to make any arrest then the Trinamool will shift the entire blame on the Central agency," said Shivaji Bose a political analyst.
The latest incidents of rape and murder were reported even as Ranaghat witnessed a complete bandh sponsored by the Opposition left against the falling law and order situation and rising atrocities against women in the State.
The police on Thursday literally washed its hands off the case saying "dacoits most probably from across the border" might have been involved in the Ranaghat rape "who after failing to find any valuable took revenge on the nun by raping her."
Meanwhile, the elderly nun who was declared fit for discharge from the hospital where she was undergoing treatment chose to stay back for a few more days as the convent authorities were yet to take any decision, sources said .
AK Mondal the superintendent of the hospital said, "The authorities are in a position to release her but the convent authorities have not communicated to us their final decision."
The rape had evoked such reactions that for the first time since Trinamool Government came to power, the Chief Minister's cavalcade was blockaded and she was gheraoed for more than an hour when she visited the area.