Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari assuring the victim's family that his government will ensure capital punishment for the accused. The girl's body was recovered from a pond on July 5, 2026.

Arrests and Investigation

The arrests were made on July 5 and 6, 2026, with the accused being identified as Pravas Mondal, Dibakar Sardar, and Ananda Sardar. The police have charged them with gangrape and murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The investigation has revealed that the victim had gone missing on July 4, 2026, and her mutilated body was recovered from a sack in a pond at Surjapur in Baruipur. The incident sparked violent protests, resulting in the lynching of a 40-year-old man suspected to be associated with the accused.

Protests and Violence

Violence erupted on July 5, 2026, with protesters blocking a nearby train line on the Sealdah-Namkhana route and staging a sit-in protest with the girl's body on the Baruipur-Jaynagar road, disrupting traffic for several hours. The police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent further gatherings.

A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders, including former Speaker Biman Bose and MPs Dola Sen and Protima Mondal, visited Baruipur and met the victim's family members. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also held a protest outside her residence in Kolkata.

Next Steps

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is scheduled to visit Baruipur on July 7, 2026, to meet the victim's family members. The police continue to investigate the case, with two more individuals detained for questioning.

  • The accused have been charged under Sections 63 (rape), 70 (2) (gangrape), 103 (1) (murder), and 238 (deliberately tampering with evidence) of the BNS.
  • The police have also registered three separate FIRs related to the lynching, uprooting of a rail track, and attacking security personnel.