The body of a 12-year-old girl, who went missing on Saturday, was recovered from a pond in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on Sunday, where her family members alleged she was raped and murdered, after which a mob lynched a man on suspicion of being the accused, police said, adding that one person has been arrested.
According to the girl’s family, she left home on Saturday afternoon to buy food but never returned. An officer familiar with the matter said that they claimed that four people had kidnapped her.
The incident came to light around 11 am on Sunday when the girl’s body was found stuffed in a bag in Surjiapur Hat area, sparking protests from local residents. “Residents also blocked roads and the local railway line to demand justice for the victim and attacked the police and central paramilitary forces,” said a police officer in Baruipur, requesting anonymity.
Read also | Body of 12-year-old rape and murder victim recovered in Baruipur, Bengal: Police
“A number of police officers were injured by stone throwing…”
Inspector General of Police (Presidency Range), Kankar Prasad Barwe, rushed to the spot in large force and assured local residents of strict action against the accused, after which the mob dispersed. After local residents allowed the police to take the body of the minor girl for post-mortem examination, she was sent to Baruipur District Hospital.
“We have told the victim’s family that no one will be saved…”
PTI news agency quoted Barwe as saying that local residents beat a man to death on charges of his involvement in the girl’s death.
CM talks to the girl’s father
Prime Minister Suvendu Adhikari called the victim’s father. The victim’s father told the media: “The chief minister assured me that the culprits will be arrested and punished. I demanded that they be executed. He asked me to go to Bhabani Bhawan (headquarters of the state CID) on Tuesday. I am satisfied with the administration.”
The incident also sparked sharp reactions from the opposition military junta. “The BJP came to Bengal promising women’s safety and security. Instead, every such incident raises new questions about its empty promises,” TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee posted on X.
Read also | ‘Shock of gang rape of medical student in Durgapur’: Mamata Banerjee vows to spare nothing in first reaction to case
TMC claims that Mamata has stopped visiting Baruipur
The TMC claimed on Sunday night that barricades with heavy police deployment were put up outside former West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjee’s residence to prevent her from visiting the victim’s family. “With heavy police deployment, road rallies are being conducted suspiciously outside the residence of our honorable President @MamataOfficial and honorable National Secretary @abhishekaitc,” the TMC claimed in a post on X.
But a Kolkata police officer said: “It is a routine deployment for security reasons.”
The BJP denied the allegation, with its spokesperson Bimal Shankar Nanda saying: “Mamata Banerjee has created trouble several times by visiting sites of such incidents. She must stop this practice.”
