The Baruipur Police District in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas has detained two minors for allegedly harassing and molesting a Class 7 girl student on a public road on Wednesday afternoon, 6 August 2025, a senior police officer confirmed on Thursday. The incident has reignited serious safety concerns in an area already reeling from a string of crimes against women and girls.

What Happened on the Road

The victim was walking home from school alongside her younger brother when the two minor suspects began pursuing her. According to police, the accused physically blocked her path, demanded her name and mobile number, and engaged in indecent behaviour. The confrontation escalated when one of the accused grabbed her hand, pulled her forcibly, and allegedly attempted to abduct her from the spot. The girl raised an alarm, drawing the attention of local residents nearby.

Locals who heard her screams rushed to the scene and apprehended one of the suspects on the spot. The victim's family subsequently filed a formal complaint at the Baruipur police station. Officers launched an immediate search operation and detained the second suspect later that evening.

Police Action and Legal Proceedings

'Both minors have been formally detained and will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Thursday for transferring them to a juvenile home,' a senior police officer said. The officer also confirmed that the victim had undergone a medical examination at a local government hospital.

Both accused are expected to be processed under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, given their minor status. The case has been registered and is under active investigation.

Mother Demands Accountability

The girl's mother, visibly distressed, described the ordeal and called for stringent legal action. 'They were pushing and shoving her in the middle of the road. My daughter was terrified and tried to hurry home, but they blocked her, asked for her phone number, and pulled her hand. Where is the protection for young girls if such incidents happen openly on public roads? We demand maximum punishment for the accused under the law,' she said.

A Pattern of Violence in Baruipur

This incident is the latest in a deeply troubling series of crimes against minors in the Baruipur area. On 14 July, police arrested a person for allegedly luring a minor girl from Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas — who had been met at Sealdah railway station — to a rented house in Baruipur and attempting to rape her.

Earlier, on 5 July, the recovery of a minor girl's body from a local pond in Baruipur's Suryapur area, following an alleged gang-rape and murder, triggered widespread public outrage. The incident led to a mob lynching that claimed the life of an innocent local resident, Indrajit Mandal. Police subsequently arrested four primary suspects in that case; one of them, Pravas Mondal, was killed in a police encounter after reportedly snatching a firearm and attempting to flee custody.

What Comes Next

The two detained minors are to appear before the Juvenile Justice Board on Thursday. Civil society groups and opposition leaders are likely to intensify pressure on the state government over law enforcement in South 24 Parganas. With three serious incidents in the Baruipur area within a single month, calls for increased police patrolling and safety infrastructure for women and girls in the district are expected to grow louder.