Three Arrested in West Bengal After Child Rape and Murder

The South 24 Parganas district police have apprehended the prime suspect, Ananda Sardar, alongside two accomplices, following the abduction, rape, and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, West Bengal.

The breakthrough came early on Monday morning when police intercepted Ananda Sardar as he attempted to flee the Baruipur area. His arrest follows the earlier detentions of Prabhas Mondal and Dibakar Sardar. Investigators revealed that the breakthrough was achieved after Mondal, the first to be taken into custody, provided crucial intelligence during interrogation that directly implicated both Ananda and Dibakar Sardar.

The tragic sequence of events began on Saturday afternoon in the Dhapdhapi area of Baruipur, near Surjapur Hat. The victim was walking to a friend’s house when she was intercepted and abducted by four local youths. Following her disappearance, her parents lodged an immediate complaint at the Baruipur police station. Despite initial search efforts, local law enforcement failed to locate the missing child.

Distress turned to public outrage on Sunday morning when the girl’s body was discovered stuffed inside a sack, floating in a pond near her family home. As news of the gruesome discovery spread, angry residents took to the streets in violent protest. Demonstrators blocked major roads and disrupted local rail services by placing the victim’s body on the transport lines, demanding immediate justice.

To contain the escalating unrest and restore public order, the South 24 Parganas district administration clamped down on the region, imposing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code across Baruipur, Sonarpur, and Narendrapur. This measure restricts unlawful assemblies in a bid to quell the rising tension.

Politicians across the spectrum have condemned the atrocity. The Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, assured the public that no perpetrator would escape justice and announced plans to visit the bereaved family. Concurrently, a Trinamool Congress delegation, led by veteran politician Biman Banerjee and Dola Sen, visited the area to offer condolences and demand exemplary punishment for the culprits. Left-wing leaders, including the CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakraborty and Shamik Lahiri, also met with the family to express solidarity.

Amidst Sunday’s chaos, vigilante justice turned fatal when an agitated mob cornered a man suspected of involvement in the crime. The individual was beaten to death before police could intervene.

In response to the gravity of the case, the South 24 Parganas police have established a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT). Headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police, the unit has assumed control of the inquiry to ensure a swift and rigorous investigation.