3 held for minor’s rape and murder

SILIGURI: The West Bengal police have arrested three people in the state’s Jalpaiguri district for allegedly raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl even as her family alleged inaction and said she could have been saved had action been taken on time and one of the accused not released initially after questioning.

The girl’s partially decomposed body was recovered from a septic tank near the house of one of the accused on Thursday, nine days after her father lodged her missing report.

Trinamool MLA Khageswar Roy demanded transfer of all the police officers involved in the probe for dereliction of duty.

Jalpaiguri police superintendent Pradeep Kumar Yadav said, “If the allegations of negligence of duty are found to be true, strict action would be taken.”