The West Bengal Police on Sunday detained a person in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in South 24 Parganas. The tragic incident has deeply shaken the district, as a 10-year-old girl was found dead in a canal in Kultali, and the police have detained an individual who confessed to the crime.
“The body of the girl was found, leading to public outrage. We have controlled the law and order situation. The girl went out yesterday evening, and when she did not return home by 8 PM, her family approached the police and filed a complaint,” said South 24 Parganas, Baruipur SP Palash Chandra Dhali.
The girl had gone missing while returning from tuition, prompting her family to seek police assistance. “We initiated the investigation immediately. Following our inquiries, we detained a person today; he confessed to killing the girl. Our government is very serious about such cases, and the investigation is ongoing,” he added.
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Meanwhile, the victim’s aunt accused the police of neglecting the case when the girl’s father first approached them. She claimed that the girl’s body displayed severe injuries, including broken limbs. “The body had multiple injuries; her limbs were broken. She went missing while returning from tuition. Her father tried to find her everywhere, but when he was unable to, he went to the police station, where they dismissed his concerns and directed him to the Jaynagar police station,” the aunt stated.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, highlighting concerns about women’s safety in the state. The opposition BJP criticized the Mamata Banerjee government, asserting that “women are not safe” in West Bengal. On Saturday, the BJP held a protest in Kultali after the girl’s body was discovered.
“It has been proven again that women are not safe under the Mamata Banerjee administration,” said Bharatiya Janata Party state president Sukanta Mazumdar. He also announced that he would not inaugurate any Durga Puja pandals this year as a form of protest against the TMC government. “I will pray before Maa that the public teaches a lesson to this government,” he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha also organized protests in North Kolkata, demanding justice for the minor girl. Earlier, Agnimitra Paul, President of the BJP Mahila Morcha, criticized the Kultali police for failing to file an FIR despite requests from the girl’s parents. She expressed distrust in the state government and called for a postmortem at a central government hospital.
“A nine-year-old girl was returning from tuition yesterday, and her body was found in a canal today. Despite repeated requests for an FIR, Mamata Banerjee’s police did not register it. Those who saw her body noted injuries similar to those of other victims. The body should be preserved, and the postmortem should be conducted at a central government hospital,” Paul stated.
“I spoke to the girl’s father, and he agrees that the body should be preserved. The Chief Minister needs to take responsibility as she protects the accused. We will demand the death penalty for the accused and a CBI inquiry into the case,” she added.
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