The alleged rape and murder of an approximately 11-year-old Muslim girl in the Baruipur area of southern Kolkata has triggered widespread unrest across West Bengal, with armed police patrolling the area and restrictions on gatherings imposed.
The girl’s family alleges she was raped before being killed and her body dumped in a pond. According to the family, she left home around 4pm Saturday to buy food and went missing. Her body was recovered from a pond near her home on Sunday morning.
After the body was recovered, tensions erupted across the area. Police said a preliminary autopsy report received Monday led them to file a rape case under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences). The initial case had not mentioned rape.
A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the case. Police have arrested three suspects and detained three others.
A young man suspected of involvement in the crime was beaten to death by an angry mob in the area, police said. Residents blocked roads with tree trunks in protest.
A local resident told news agency ANI that the girl had gone to attend a friend’s birthday celebration after evening prayers. “After 8pm there was no news of her. We contacted the police station around 8:30pm but police did not take it seriously. Sunday morning we got information from locals. After reviewing local CCTV footage, we identified the accused ourselves.”
The resident added that an accused confessed at the police station and led them to the body. “A local BJP leader named Shantanu Mandal then helped the accused flee,” the resident alleged.
Restrictions on gatherings of more than five people have been imposed in Baruipur under Section 163 of the Indian Penal Code (formerly Section 144). Police said they are taking steps to prevent further violence.
West Bengal Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari has assured the victim’s family of justice. Presidency Range Inspector General Kankar Prasad Barui said the family would meet the chief minister at the state police headquarters on Tuesday (July 7).
Three cases have been filed: one for the girl’s murder, one for the mob attack on police, and one for the lynching of the suspect.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report