The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of West Bengal Police probing the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district, has identified an abandoned thatched hut near the pond where the child's body was recovered on Sunday as the probable scene of crime. The case has sent shockwaves through the state, with investigators working to piece together the sequence of events before final forensic reports are available.

What Preliminary Investigation Revealed

According to insiders from the Baruipur district police, under whose jurisdiction both the pond and the hut fall, initial interrogation of the arrested accused indicates the crime was committed inside the abandoned structure. The minor was subsequently dumped into the adjacent pond, investigators said.

In what officials described as a deliberate act, the critically injured girl was allegedly placed inside a sack, whose mouth was then tied shut with a metal wire before being thrown into the pond. Investigators believe this was done to ensure her death and destroy evidence.

Autopsy Findings Point to Drowning Combined With Injuries

The preliminary autopsy report, according to investigating officials, indicated that the victim was still alive when she was dumped into the pond. She had suffered grievous injuries to her head and private parts, and investigators believe she was unconscious at the time of dumping — a condition resulting from the alleged rape, torture, and physical trauma.

The cause of death is believed to be a combination of severe injuries and drowning, though investigators have said they will await the final autopsy and forensic reports before drawing definitive conclusions.

Three Accused Fled Through Separate Routes

Investigators further claim that after moving the child's body from the hut to the pond, the three accused fled the location through separate routes. All three have since been arrested, sources indicated.

Notably, officials remain reluctant to disclose further details on the investigation's progress until the final autopsy and forensic reports — which are expected to confirm the charges of rape and murder and establish detailed causes of death — are formally available.

What Comes Next

The SIT's focus will now shift to forensic examination of the abandoned hut and surrounding area to corroborate the accused's statements. The final autopsy and forensic lab results are expected to be critical in building the prosecution's case. The incident has prompted renewed calls for accountability from civil society groups in West Bengal, with the case drawing comparisons to other high-profile crimes against children in the state.