12-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in West Bengal Pond; Family Alleges Rape, Protest Erupts
BARUIPUR, West Bengal — The body of a 12-year-old girl was recovered from a pond in Suryapur village, Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, on Sunday morning. She had been missing since Saturday night. Her family lodged a First Information Report (FIR) and alleged that she was raped and murdered.
The discovery sparked protests by local residents, who blocked a railway line on the Sealdah-Namkhana route for an hour and disrupted road traffic for several hours. Protesters also burnt tyres. Senior police officials, including Inspector General of the Presidency Range Kankar Prasad Barui, arrived at the scene and held talks with the demonstrators. The protesters then ended their sit-in and handed over the body for an autopsy.
Speaking to reporters, an officer from Baruipur police station said, 'The facts are yet to be ascertained.' Mr. Barui stated that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had called him, that one person had been arrested, and that a thorough investigation was under way. He urged the public to maintain peace.
The victim's father said the Chief Minister had called him and requested a meeting on Tuesday. 'He said no stone will be left unturned to punish the perpetrators,' the father added.
The incident has reignited political debate over women's safety in the state. The current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has made women's safety a priority, and during the recent assembly election, the party criticised the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government over cases of sexual assault. In response, the TMC posted on social media, accusing the BJP of failing to ensure justice for the girl and of making hollow promises. The investigation is ongoing.
