12-year-old girl found dead in pond; family alleges rape-murder
What's the story
A 12-year-old girl was found dead in a pond in Baruipur, West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district. The girl's family has said she left home Saturday afternoon to go to a friend's house, The Indian Express reported. Her family alleges she was raped and murdered before her body was dumped in the pond. The incident has sparked violent protests by locals who lynched a man suspected of being involved in the crime.
Protest aftermath
Protestors halt train, road transport
The protests led to major disruptions in train and road transport. Train services on the Sealdah-Namkhana line were suspended for an hour, while road traffic was halted for five hours as locals protested with the girl's body. The situation escalated when a man suspected of being involved in the crime was lynched by an angry mob.
Official response
Situation brought under control after intervention
The unrest was brought under control after senior officials intervened. Inspector-General Kankarprasad Barui assured the crowd that "no person involved in this crime will be spared." He also invited locals to Bhabani Bhavan to voice their demands. The girl's body has been sent for a postmortem examination at the Baruipur subdivisional hospital. An FIR has been registered, and an investigation is underway into both her death and the lynching incident.
Government assurance
CM Adhikari assures victim's father of justice
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured the victim's father that the culprits will be arrested and punished. The victim's father expressed satisfaction with the administration's response after speaking to the CM over the phone. A large contingent of security personnel, including central forces, has been deployed at the spot to maintain order.