Kolkata 11-year-old girl death: Preliminary post-mortem suggests sexual assault, head Iijury and drowning
Kolkata girl murder: The preliminary post-mortem examination of the 11-year-old girl whose body was recovered from a pond in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas has indicated signs of head injury, sexual assault and drowning, police officials said on Monday.
The girl had been missing since Saturday after she left her home in Baruipur to buy a birthday gift for a friend. Her family filed a missing person complaint when she did not return. Her body was recovered the next day from a pond, where it had been found inside a sack.
The police said following the recovery of the body, a local resident was allegedly lynched by a mob on suspicion of involvement in the incident.
According to a senior police official, the preliminary post-mortem found injury marks on the girl's private parts, along with scratch and bite marks on different parts of her body. The findings are being treated as indications of sexual assault and are part of the ongoing investigation.
The examination also found evidence of a severe head injury. Investigators believe it may have been caused either by a heavy object or by the child's head being struck against a hard surface.
The report further suggested that the girl was alive when she entered the water. Water found in her lungs and stomach indicates drowning, while police sources said the combined impact of the head injury and drowning is believed to have caused her death.
The police have arrested three persons in connection with the case, including the main accused. Officials said the investigation remains at a crucial stage.
Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage that reportedly shows the girl with four persons before the incident. Along with forensic evidence and witness statements, the footage is being examined to establish the sequence of events and identify the role of each accused.
- With inputs from agencies
