7-year-old’s murder: NCPCR writes to DGP seeking report, team to visit Kolkata; police confirm sexual assault

The letter to the DGP, dated March 27 and a copy of which is with The Indian Express, read, “You are requested to investigate/inquire into the matter and submit the detailed factual report of the matter, along with authenticated copies of the relevant documents to the Commission within 48 hours of issue of this letter.”

Hours after the body of the girl was found in her neighbour’s house, protesting local residents on Monday clashed with the police and vandalised vehicles. The flat owner, identified as a native of Samastipur in Bihar, was arrested, the police said.

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanungo told The Indian Express, “We will send a team to Kolkata. We have given 48 hours’ time to the police to respond after which we will send a team, irrespective of what is in the report. The state government has been showing a casual approach towards child rights. Recently, there was an incident in which a girl was raped inside a school’s premises. We will send a team to inquire about the incident and to see how such incidents can be prevented. We have constantly been trying to ensure that the state administration works proactively in such cases.”

According to the police, the girl’s death was due to head injury, manual strangulation, smothering and strangulation by ligature, ante-mortem and homicidal in nature. As per the primary report of the post-mortem, the body had a head injury by the end of a hammer. The report also suggests strangulation by ligature using a jute rope. “Some injuries were found in genitalia, perhaps due to the use of fingers,” said an official.

On Monday, during clashes, protesters torched a police vehicle and pelted stones at personnel. So far twenty people have been arrested for the unrest, the police added.