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, with her family members alleging she was raped and murdered, following which a mob lynched a man on suspicion of being the accused, police said, adding that one person has been detained
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According to the girl’s family, she left home on Saturday afternoon to buy food but never returned. They have alleged that four people kidnapped her, said an officer aware of the matter.
The incident came to light around 11 am on Sunday when the girl’s body was found stuffed in a sack in the Surjyapur Haat area, triggering protests by locals. “The residents also blocked roads and the local railway track demanding justice for the victim and attacked police and central paramilitary personnel,” a Baruipur police officer said, requesting anonymity.
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“Several police personnel were injured in stone pelting…”
Inspector general of police (Presidency Range), Kankar Prasad Barui rushed to the spot with a large force and assured locals of stringent action against the accused, following which the mob dispersed. After the locals allowed the police to take the minor girl’s body for a postmortem examination, it was sent to the Baruipur subdivisional hospital.
“We have told the victim’s family that none would be spared…”
Locals beat a man to death on the accusation of his involvement in the girl’s death, news agency PTI quoted Barui as saying.
CM speaks to girl’s father
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari called the victim’s father. “The CM assured me that the culprits would be arrested and punished. I demanded that they should be hanged. He asked me to go to Bhabani Bhawan (the state CID headquarters) on Tuesday. I am satisfied with the administration,” the victim’s father told the media.
The incident has also triggered sharp reactions from the Opposition TMC. “BJP came to Bengal promising women’s safety and security. Instead, every such incident raises fresh questions about its hollow promises,” TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee posted on X.
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TMC claims Mamata stopped from visiting Baruipur
The TMC on Sunday night alleged that barricades were placed with heavy police deployment outside the residence of former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to prevent her from visiting the family of the victim. “With heavy police deployment, route marches are suspiciously being conducted right outside the residences of our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial and our Hon’ble National General Secretary @abhishekaitc,” the TMC alleged in a post on X.
A Kolkata police officer, however, said: “It is a routine deployment for security reasons,” .
The BJP dismissed the allegation, with spokesperson Bimal Shankar Nanda saying: “Mamata Banerjee has created trouble several times by visiting sites of incidents like these. She should stop the practice.”
