Bengal: 16-year-old gang-raped, killed; 3 arrested

Three people were arrested in connection with the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Jalpaiguri. Local TMC leader met the victim's family and has demanded death penalty for the accused.

Jalpaiguri:A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped multiple times, killed and the body dumped in a septic tank of a house in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, police said on Saturday. Three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, and when produced before the court on Friday, they were remanded to eight days of police custody.

Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri said that action will be taken as per the law if the accused found guilty.

The girl, a resident of Shyanashikata in Rajganj, went missing on August 10, following which her family lodged a police complaint, officials said. Her father lodged a complaint with Rajganj Police Station the next day. On the basis of the complaint, police arrested Rahman Ali, Jamirul Haque, and Tamirul Haque.

Police on Thursday arrested three persons, and during interrogation, they confessed to have raped and killed the girl on August 15, officials said, adding that the body was then dumped in the septic tank.

Ajuyara Begam, a family member of the deceased said, "On August 10 evening, the girl was missing from their house. Later on August 15, we went to the police and filed a missing report. The next day the girl's body was recovered from a septic tank."

Locals and family members of the deceased protested against the crime and demanded swift action against the accused. However, cops accessed the situation and assured them of justice.

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The body was taken out from the septic tank of a house in Pradhan Para later that night, police said. Local TMC MLA Khageswar Roy has met the girl's family and demanded death penalty for the accused.

Roy said, "It is a brutal incident. The accused should be hanged till death. If needed, we will go to the Chief Minister regarding this case,"

"When the police complaint was registered on August 11, why was action not taken till the body was found? We demand that the accused be hanged till death," Roy said. Police said they are investigating the matter and yet to ascertain what led to the incident.

With agency inputs