Girl's body found in pond, family alleges sexual assault and murder

The girl went missing after she left home on Thursday. Family members complained she was allegedly sexually assaulted and then murdered.

Raiganj:Protests rocked Kaliaganj in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district on Friday after the body of a girl, belonging to Rajbanshi community, was found in the pond. Locals said the girl was allegedly raped before murder and demanded punishment for the culprit. In protest, people burnt tyres on the Kaliaganj-Durgapur state road and demanded punishment of the culprits. A huge contingent of police force has been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.

Locals said a man who came to cut banana leaves in the pond at around 9 am, spotted the girl's body. He immediately went to the village and informed everyone. Following which, residents rushed to the spot. The Kaliaganj police arrived at the spot after sometime but, the locals prevented them from taking the girl's body for post-mortem.

According to family sources, the girl went missing after she left home on Thursday afternoon. The family members searched for her in different places. Her uncle even went to Malda to look for her.

Criticising the state government over the incident, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari tweeted: "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 the atonement ritual, this happens to a Rajbongshi girl."

Adhikari claimed that law and order has deteriorated in West Bengal. Adhikari alleged that the police were busy making security arrangements for chief minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) while the miscreants were escaping due to state government's inaction.