West Bengal Police have replaced the investigating officer (IO) handling the case of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district. Santanu Mukhopadhyay, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), has been appointed as the new IO, replacing two inspector-ranking officers. The change in IO comes after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s visit to Baruipur, where he assured the victim’s family of a swift investigation and the conviction of all involved.
This switch marks the second change in the IO for this case since the girl’s body was found in a pond in Suryapur area under Baruipur on July 5. Initially, Diganta Mondal was appointed as the IO, followed by Jayanta Poddar. Now, Mukhopadhya, a DSP, takes over the investigation. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the crime, with one suspect, Pravas Mondal, killed in a police encounter while attempting to flee custody.
In addition to the rape-murder case, the police are handling two other related incidents. The first involves the lynching of a 26-year-old man, Indrajit Tanti, by a mob following the discovery of the girl’s body. Five individuals, believed to be the instigators of the lynching, have been apprehended. The second case pertains to violent unrest in the area, resulting in damage to property and injuries to police personnel. Authorities have arrested 42 individuals in connection with this incident.
