Minor girl found dead in Bengal’s Asansol three days after abduction

Three days after she was kidnapped, the body of a 17-year-old girl was found beside a dustbin on a road Tuesday morning in Bengal’s Asansol town, over 200 km Northwest of Kolkata, police said.

The victim’s clothes were torn and the body bore injury marks. Her family suspects that she was possibly sexually assaulted before being murdered. The victim’s house is around 4 km away from where her body was dumped.

“Her wrist was slashed. We have initiated a probe. The body has been sent for post mortem to ascertain whether she was raped as suspected by her family,” said D P Singh, commissioner, Asansol-Durgapur Police.

The tenth standard student had left home Saturday afternoon saying she was going to a tutor in the adjoining Burnpur town. She reportedly boarded a bus.

Her family lodged a complaint with the police on Saturday night when she did not return. The complaint mentioned that her mobile phone had been switched off. On Sunday, the local police questioned a few people but could not trace the girl.

On Monday afternoon, the victim’s father who is a government employee, received a text message from her phone. It said the girl had been abducted and would be freed only if the family paid Rs 15 lakh. The message also asked the family not to inform the police.

The victim’s phone was switched off immediately after the message arrived. The family ignored the warning and informed the police. “The police failed to free my daughter,” the girl’s father said.