Baruipur girl's rape-murder: WB CM rejects lynching tag, gives slain man's family Rs 25 lakh, job

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday rejected describing the killing of Indrajit Mondal as a case of mob lynching, saying the auto-rickshaw driver's identity had already been established before he was murdered during violence that erupted after the recovery of an 11-year-old rape and murder victim's body in South 24 Parganas' Baruipur.

During his visit to the area, the chief minister handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to Mondal's parents and an appointment letter for the post of civic volunteer to his elder brother, Bapi Mondal.

'Indrajit's death was not because of mob lynching. His identity was established before he was murdered,' Adhikari said, adding that those responsible would face strict action.

He also alleged that the unrest could have been fuelled by 'those rejected in elections' or 'communal radical forces', while asserting that the investigation would establish the truth. According to him, several suspects identified through photographs and video footage have already been arrested.

Bapi Mondal thanked the state government for the support, saying the chief minister personally assured the family of all possible assistance and asked him to join his new role as a civic volunteer under the Baruipur Police District.

Earlier in the day, Adhikari met the parents of the 11-year-old girl, whose body was recovered from a pond after she went missing on July 4.

He said all four people named in the family's complaint had been arrested and promised exemplary punishment for those found guilty.

The chief minister also inaugurated the newly established Surjapur Rural Police Outpost during his visit.

The girl's body, found stuffed inside a sack on July 5, sparked widespread protests in the area. Angry residents blocked roads, torched tyres and vandalised police vehicles while demanding immediate arrests.

Amid the outrage, Indrajit Mondal was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of involvement in the crime. Police have since arrested five people in connection with his killing.

In the rape and murder case, four accused were arrested. One of them, Prabash Mondal, was later killed in a police encounter after allegedly attempting to snatch a police officer's firearm during a crime scene reconstruction.

Police have also arrested more than 35 people over the violence and vandalism that followed the girl's murder.