BJP worker among those arrested as alleged rape, murder of Muslim girl fuel tensions in West Bengal

West Bengal's Baruipur area in South 24 Parganas district remained tense on Monday after the alleged murder of an 11-year-old Muslim girl, who investigators said was gang-raped before being killed and whose body was later recovered from a pond, sparked widespread protests and the lynching of a man accused by locals of involvement in the crime.

Police have arrested two people and detained three others in connection with the case, with those held reportedly including BJP worker Shantanu Mondal, while Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari assured the bereaved family that all those responsible would be brought to justice.

The girl had left her home on Saturday to buy a birthday gift for a friend but failed to return, prompting her family to launch a search. They alleged that four people had forcibly taken her away. Her body was recovered the following day from a pond, concealed inside a sack.

A preliminary post-mortem examination indicated that the child had sustained severe head injuries and injuries to her private parts, while scratch and bite marks were found on different parts of her body.

A senior police officer, citing the report, said the fatal head injury appeared to have been caused either by a heavy object or by striking the child's head against a hard surface. The report further suggested that she was still alive when she was thrown into the pond, with water found in her lungs and stomach.

The killing triggered widespread outrage across Baruipur, where residents blocked roads, burnt tyres and vandalised police vehicles while demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible. The unrest escalated when an angry crowd allegedly beat a man to death after accusing him of involvement in the girl's murder.

Police appealed for calm, assuring residents that every person connected with the case would face the full force of the law. A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the case.

With one additional arrest on Monday, the number of people arrested has risen to two, while three others remain in police custody for questioning. Reports indicated that BJP worker Shantanu Mondal was among those detained in connection with the investigation.

Prohibitory orders have since been imposed in Baruipur, Narendrapur and Sonarpur to prevent any further deterioration in law and order. Police said adequate personnel had been deployed across the affected areas and urged residents not to be influenced by rumours, warning that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to disturb the peace.

Speaking to reporters, the victim's father said the Chief Minister had assured him that those responsible would be apprehended and punished. He said he had demanded the death penalty for the accused and had been asked to visit Bhabani Bhawan, the state CID headquarters, on Tuesday.

The case has also acquired a political dimension. The Trinamool Congress alleged that a heavy deployment of police and central forces outside former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence was intended to prevent her from visiting the victim's family. The BJP rejected the allegation, maintaining that the security arrangements were routine for a Z-plus protectee, while both parties traded accusations over the handling of the incident.