Prime Accused Arrested in Baruipur Minor Rape-Murder Case, SIT Begins Probe

West Bengal Police on Monday arrested the prime accused, Anand Sardar , in the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Baruipur , South 24 Parganas, taking the total number of arrests in the case to three .

Police said Sardar was traced through mobile phone tower location and apprehended from the Baruipur market area. He will be produced before a local court, while investigators seek his custody for further interrogation. A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case, and three more individuals are being questioned.

The victim, who had been missing since July 4 , was found dead inside a sack in the Surjyapur Haat area on Sunday, triggering widespread protests. Angry residents blocked roads, burnt tyres and damaged police vehicles, demanding swift action. In a separate incident, a man suspected of involvement in the crime was beaten to death by a mob.

As the investigation progressed, police added gangrape charges based on evidence collected. The accused have been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) , including kidnapping, rape, gangrape, murder, destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act . The two accused arrested earlier have been remanded to 14-day police custody , with the next hearing scheduled for July 20 .

To prevent further unrest, authorities imposed Section 163 of the BNS in Baruipur, Narendrapur and Sonarpur, while additional police forces were deployed. The case has once again highlighted law and order concerns in West Bengal , with authorities assuring a thorough investigation and urging the public not to spread rumours as forensic examinations continue.