- CCTV footage shows 11-year-old girl before she went missing in Baruipur near Kolkata
- Her body was found in a sack a day after she vanished while buying a birthday gift
- Autopsy revealed sexual assault, head injury, and drowning as cause of death
A CCTV footage has emerged as a crucial link in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, barely 30 km from Kolkata. The clip appears to show the girl shortly before she went missing on Saturday. A day later, her body was found stuffed in a sack. Soon after, angry locals lynched a man, suspecting his involvement in the girl's rape and murder.
The girl, who studied in Class 6, went out to buy a birthday gift for a friend on Saturday afternoon, according to her family. When she didn't return by 6 pm, her worried relatives started looking for her.
Locals soon joined the search and tried to locate her using CCTV footage. A missing person report was filed around 9 pm and they helped the police identify a suspect from the footage.
Read: Head Injury, Sexual Assault: Autopsy Of Bengal Girl Who Was Stuffed In Sack
Reports suggest she was seen being taken away by four persons and that efforts are underway to identify them. An officer has told news agency PTI that they are examining CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and witness statements to arrest the accused.
Prabhas Mondal and Dibakar Sadar, arrested in connection with the case, were sent to 14 days' police custody yesterday. A third person has also reportedly been arrested.
A case has been filed for rape, gang-rape, murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The police believe the victim was thrown into the pond while she was alive, with water being found in her lungs and stomach during the post-mortem examination. Water typically enters the lungs in drowning cases.
Read: 12-Year-Old's Body Found Stuffed In Sack In Bengal Horror, Suspect Lynched
The report also confirmed sexual assault. The findings included excessive bleeding from a head injury and multiple injuries in her private parts, sources said. Scratches and bite marks were also found on different areas of her body, reports suggest.
Doctors believe she died late Saturday night.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the Baruipur horror and sought a report from the state's Director General of Police (DGP) within seven days.
Besides a comprehensive report on the measures taken and a progress report, the NCW has also sought information regarding the death of a suspect due to mob lynching.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has spoken to the girl's father on the phone and assured strict action against the culprits.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee joined a candlelight vigil near her Kalighat home yesterday, condemning the horrific incident.
