NEW DELHI, July 5: Protests erupted in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Sunday after the body of an 11-year-old girl was recovered after which the man suspected of raping and murdering the victim was lynched by locals, the police said.
The incident happened in Baruipur where the girl had gone missing on Saturday afternoon. Her body was recovered from a pond on Sunday morning.
The family alleged that the girl was raped and her body was dumped in the pond, following which people blocked the Baruipur-Joynagar Road and launched a violent protest in the village. They even burnt tyres and damaged several police vehicles, while demanding that the authorities must arrest the accused and lynched a 26-year-old man, accusing him of committing the crime. The family has alleged that four people were involved in the incident.
A police personnel was also injured during the protest, with the administration deploying extra personnel, including central forces, to bring the situation under control. An official said the protesters were throwing bricks, glasses, bottles and other objects.
“We have taken cognisance of the incident. We assure that strict action will be taken against the guilty. We will take necessary action and investigation is underway. No one will be spared. We will reveal further details once the probe concludes,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Presidency Range) Kankarprasad Barui told reporters, while inspecting the situation in the village.
According to the police, the girl had gone out of her home on Saturday afternoon to buy a gift for her friend’s birthday, but never returned, forcing her family to launch a search. This morning, her body was recovered from a pond. The body has been sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death and sexual assault.
Sources said the Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held a telephonic conversation with the girl’s father, assuring him that the guilty would not be spared and they would be brought to justice. Security measures were tightened in Baruipur and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the matter.
(Manas Dasgupta)
