Kolkata, Sep 19 (IANS) The body of a 16-year-old girl was recovered from an empty house in West Bengal’s Purulia district on Saturday morning, with her family alleging that she was murdered by a minor boy with whom she was reportedly in a relationship and his family members.
The police have launched an investigation following a complaint lodged by the girl’s family. The body was recovered from an empty house in the jurisdiction of Purulia Mufassil Police Station in Purulia town.
The girl’s brother-in-law told local media persons that she had gone missing on Friday night.
“The girl had been missing since last night. We searched throughout the night but could not find her. This morning, she was found dead,” he said.
“We came to know that the girl was in a relationship with a local teenager. She used to go to their house for tuition. But later, she refused to go there for tuition. We suspect that the girl was murdered. We have appealed to the government to ensure that she gets proper justice,” he alleged.
According to the family, the girl had been missing since around midnight. Her body was found on Saturday morning inside an empty house belonging to the family. Her headscarf was allegedly tied around her neck.
The incident triggered mourning in the area, with local residents gathering near the spot. Officers from Purulia Mufassil Police Station reached the location, recovered the body, and sent it to Purulia Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.
The police said the exact cause of death would be established only after the autopsy report is received. A case of unnatural death has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
The police are also examining the allegations made by the girl’s family.
“The body has been recovered and has been sent for autopsy. A complaint has been lodged by the girl’s family. The allegations made by the family are being looked into. No one has been arrested as of yet. Investigation is on,” a senior officer of Purulia district police said.
The incident comes days after a young man was arrested in Purulia for allegedly killing his girlfriend and carrying her body in a bag on a motorcycle. According to police, the accused rode around with the woman’s body for nearly three to four hours before he was caught by personnel from Balarampur Police Station on September 12.
–IANS
sch/snj/skp