Kolkata, July 8 -- The state police have arrested 20 individuals in connection with the widespread rioting, arson and attacks on law enforcement personnel in the Baruipur area.
The arrests are part of a massive crackdown to restore law and order after the murder of an 11-year-old girl triggered widespread public unrest.
The violence began on Sunday morning after the girl's body was found stuffed inside a sack in a local pond.
As news of the murder spread, angry residents poured onto the streets of Baruipur. Driven by suspicion and outrage, a furious mob targeted local residents, resulting in the lynching of an innocent man, Indrajit Mondal.
As the situation spiralled, the mob also attacked public infrastructure and the police.
Rioters blocked major arterial roads and disrupted train services by damaging railway tracks. Multiple police vans and other government vehicles were vandalised and set ablaze, while several police personnel were injured during attempts to disperse the crowd.
To bring the situation under control, Inspector General of Police (Presidency Range) Kankar Prosad Barui intervened. Following his assurance, along with appeals from the victim girl's family members, the situation gradually returned to normal.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, during his visit to the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP), Baruipur Police District, assured the girl's family that his government would do everything possible to ensure justice. He also said that those responsible for the violence would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.