A minor girl was allegedly raped and murdered by unidentified miscreants at Kaliaganj in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, a senior police officer said on Friday.
Local people found the body of the teenage girl, who was missing since Thursday evening, floating in the waters of a canal this morning, he said.
The girl, a resident of Gangua village of the district, went missing on Thursday evening after she went for her tuition classes and could not be traced the entire night, despite extensive searches by her family members and local people.
A missing complaint was lodged by her family members.
When police went to recover the girl’s body, the local people resisted demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, the officer said.
Local people also put up road blockades, burnt tyres and allegedly pelted stones at police, he said.
“We had to lathi-charge and fire tear gas shells to control the mob. We are trying to bring the situation under control. A probe into the matter is on," the officer added.
The body of the girl was finally recovered and sent for post-mortem, he said.
Referring to the incident, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari alleged “lawlessness" in the state and held the state police “responsible" for the crime.
Posting a video of locals guarding a body covered by a white sheet, the senior BJP leader also alleged that the police were busy in making security arrangements for the proposed trip of Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to the district next month.
“Another rape & murder of a Minor Girl in WB.The dead body of a Class X student; belonging to the Rajbongshi Community, from Kaliaganj; Uttar Dinajpur was found in such condition. Days after Tribal ladies were punished with atonement ritual, this happens to a Rajbongshi girl, he tweeted.
“Sorry state of Law & Order situation in WB as @WBPolice is busy with making security arrangements for ‘Bhaipo’s Nabajowar’. Unfortunately the common people; especially women are paying the price. The perpetrators are getting emboldened due to the inaction of the state government," Adhikari said in another tweet.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)