Girl gang raped, murdered and dumped in pond sparks mob-killing in bloodthirsty chaos

The rape and muder of an 11-year-old girl in eastern India has sparked major unrest, which has led to the mob-killing of a man who officials have since said was innocent. Police are also alleged to have killed of one of the girl’s suspected attackers. A statement from the force on Friday confirmed they’ve arrested dozens of people for violence and ‌vandalism during protests this week in the Indian state of West Bengal where rioters have blocked roads and torched cars.

On Sunday, the child’s body was pulled from a pond in Surjyapur village in Baruipur, on the outskirts of Kolkata. The 11-year-old was reportedly gang raped and murdered after she went to buy a birthday gift for a friend. The horrific act of wicked violence committed against the young girl has prompted fury from the local community and beyond. Opposition political parties are now accusing the recently formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of failing to protect women.

According to the autopsy report, the girl had been raped and then stuffed into a sack and thrown into the pond while still alive.

The girl’s family alleged that police failed to respond promptly after they reported her going missing on Saturday, forcing relatives to conduct their own search.

As reported by the BBC, the girl’s family said: “Had the police acted earlier, she could have been saved.”

The family said they had to look for her themselves and reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area themselves in an effort to trace her whereabouts.

Officials said one of the suspects, Prabhas Mondal, was shot by police on Wednesday after trying to steal a gun and fire at officers during a visit to the crime scene. Police arrested four men over the girl’s rape and murder.

Police said they’ve also arrested 35 people for violence and vandalism during the violent protests. Senior state police officer Arvind Kumar Anand told Reuters: “We have arrested 35 people ⁠for violence and vandalism so far … others involved are being identified through multiple videos that went viral.”

The unrest is emerging as a major challenge for West Bengal’s newly elected BJP government, which campaigned on promises to improve law and order and strengthen the safety of women across the state.

Government crime data recorded 29,536 reported rape cases across India in 2024 alone. However, campaigners say the true scale of sexual violence is likely far greater, arguing that many survivors never report assaults to the authorities.