In a chilling twist to the ongoing investigation into the gang-rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, the Baruipur police on Monday recovered a man’s body from the same pond where the minor’s remains were found a day earlier.

The deceased has been identified as Krishnakanta Haldar, who had been missing for over 72 hours since last Friday.

Investigators are currently probing whether Haldar’s death is directly linked to the brutal assault and murder of the teenage girl. The recovery has re-ignited severe tensions in the area.

The police have dispatched Haldar’s body for a post-mortem examination and have initiated a background check to determine his occupation, potential rivalries, and the circumstances leading to his presence at the site.

Legal Escalation and Arrests

The development comes as law enforcement officially added gang-rape charges under Section 70(2) alongside murder charges in the Baruipur Court.

So far, three suspects have been apprehended. Two of the accused were produced in court on Monday and remanded to 14 days of police custody. They are scheduled for their next hearing on July 20.

The third suspect, arrested later on Monday, is expected to be produced in court on Tuesday.

Widespread Unrest and Political Response

The dual discoveries have plunged the Baruipur region into volatility. On Sunday, public fury boiled over into vigilantism as an enraged mob lynched a man suspected of involvement in the minor’s death.

The subsequent unrest crippled local infrastructure, halting train services on the Sealdah-Namkhana line for an hour and blocking major roadways for nearly five hours.

Local authorities reported that the crowd pelted police vehicles with stones, forcing security forces to deploy a baton charge to restore order.

In response to the escalating crisis, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reached out to the victim’s father via telephone, summoning him to the state police headquarters at Bhabani Bhaban on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister is also slated to visit the grief-stricken area of Baruipur on Tuesday to assess the situation firsthand.