Child’s rape and murder in India sparks mob and police killings
By Rhea Mogul, Ayushi Shah, CNN
(CNN) — The shocking rape and murder of a girl in eastern India has sparked widespread unrest that led to the mob-killing of an innocent man and police killing their main suspect in custody.
The grim chain of events lays bare the nation’s problems not only with sexual violence, but also with attempts to bring perpetrators to justice.
On Sunday, the child’s body was pulled from a pond in the city of Baruipur in West Bengal state, according to local media reports. She was believed to be either 11 or 12, according to news reports.
Her family had reported her missing the day before, the reports said. Indian media have widely reported she was raped, citing authorities.
Video footage of the body’s recovery spread widely on social media, sparking far-flung anger and a political blame game in the large state.
In the aftermath, an angry mob took to the streets, vandalizing shops and railway lines. A man, reportedly believed to be the perpetrator, was beaten to death by a crowd, according to authorities.
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari later told reporters that the man was innocent.
“He too will get justice,” he said. “Around 200 people responsible for damaging police vehicles and vandalizing railway lines have been identified.”
CNN contacted the police in Baruipur, but the person who answered the phone said they had no knowledge of the matter. CNN also reached out to the Inspector General of the Presidency range, a senior official within the West Bengal police who oversees the district where the crime took place, but did not receive a response.
Adhikari told reporters that the “government and police are doing everything possible” to bring the girl’s family justice.
Several people have been arrested in connection with the girl’s death, authorities said.
Early Wednesday, the primary suspect arrested in the rape and murder case was killed during a shootout in police custody, according to state-run broadcaster News on Air.
While the crime scene was being reconstructed as part of the investigation, the man allegedly snatched a service firearm from an officer and shot one round before trying to flee the scene, News on Air reported. A shootout ensued, after which the suspect was severely injured and later declared dead, the state broadcaster said.
India’s rape crisis
India has struggled for years to tackle high rates of violence against women, with numerous rape cases capturing global attention.
In December 2012, the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student shocked the nation and drew thousands onto the streets demanding both justice and change.
Justice for Nirbhaya, as she came to be known, was ultimately served when all five individuals responsible for her death were found guilty. In response, India strengthened its laws regarding sexual assault: the definition of rape was broadened to include any form of penetration, and harsher penalties were introduced for crimes such as sexual assault, voyeurism, and stalking.
Despite these changes, rape remains prevalent in the country, with victims and advocates saying the government is still not doing enough to protect women and punish attackers.
The latest crime statistics from the government showed India recorded a total of 29,536 rape cases in 2024, though activists say assaults are widely underreported.
Activists have been saying for years the problem lies in a deeper set of structural problems that have been tougher to shake.
Indian society can be deeply patriarchal. Despite being illegal, marriage dowries are still commonly demanded and accepted. In some families, there is a strong preference for male children, leading to the abortion or abandonment of girls.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Gender Gap Report, India ranks 131st out of 148 countries in terms of the opportunities it provides to women.
Deaths of high-profile suspects at the hands of Indian police, especially in remote and rural areas, are not infrequent, and have previously triggered renewed cycles of public anger at the lack of an effective and transparent justice system.
The latest incident from Baruipur comes about two years after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in West Bengal’s capital, Kolkata, which also sparked widespread protests and anger.
The nationally dominant Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently took control of the local administration in West Bengal, in a state election in May that ended the 15-year rule of the All India Trinamool Congress.
The latest murder of a young girl has sparked an intense political row between the two parties, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the BJP of not doing enough to protect the state’s women and girls. The BJP’s West Bengal government denies the accusations.
The-CNN-Wire
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