On Saturday (5th October), the body of a minor girl was discovered in a canal in Kultali village in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The 11-year-old had been missing since Friday night. She had gone for tuition classes but did not return home. According to the villagers, the victim was raped before she was killed and dumped into a canal, which is located about 500 metres away from her home.
As per reports, the family members of the girl were harassed when they went to file a complaint at the Mahishamari police station. The ill-treatment by the cops triggered the locals, who then hit the streets in protest.
1.1 A horrific incident occurred in Kultali, South 24 Parganas, where a 9-year-old girl was brutally raped and murdered while returning from tuition. Her family reported her missing complaint yesterday, but police refused to file a complaint pic.twitter.com/rNQLktXU8f
— Dilip Ghosh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DilipGhoshBJP) October 5, 2024
Roads were blocked in Jayanagar and Kultali. The agitated protestors attacked the police station and set it on fire.
The villagers accused the police of failing to take action on time and preventing the heinous crime.
In videos that surfaced on social media, women protestors were seen demonstrating with sticks, pelting stones and clashing with the police. Others were seen destroying bikes and public property in a fit of rage.
Tension erupted over the allegation of rape & murder of a minor .
— Syeda Shabana (@JournoShabana) October 5, 2024
The incident of Kripakhali Haldar Para area of Kultali police station. A fourth class student went missing on her way home after tuition her body was recovered after one arrested & confessed of murder. pic.twitter.com/3B88AbKGYO
Amid the public fury, the police have arrested one suspect in the murder-rape case.
While speaking about the matter, Suvendu Adhikari tweeted, ‘It seems that West Bengal Police haven’t learned anything from the unfortunate RG Kar incident when a 31-year-old PGT Doctor was found raped and murdered.”
“The whole situation could have been avoided if the Police could have just done their duty yesterday,” the BJP leader pointed out.
#MamataMustResign
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) October 5, 2024
It seems that @WBPolice haven't learned anything from the unfortunate RG Kar incident when a 31-year-old PGT Doctor was found raped and murdered.
An eight year old Class IV student of Mahishmari area in Joynagar; South 24-Parganas district, who was on her way… pic.twitter.com/Uy2Jp6lLrm
The situation in Kultali remains tense. The police initiated a probe into the matter and also deployed a large contingent to prevent any untoward incident. They are now interrogating the suspect.
In the meantime, one of the protesting villagers named Ganesh Dolui stated, “We will continue our agitation till all those behind the rape and
murder of our minor daughter are punished. We also demand action against those who responded to the complaint late, which might have resulted in her death”
“Had the police acted promptly, the girl could have been rescued,” he emphasised. According to the police, there are several injury marks on the body of the minor girl.
