Decomposed body parts of missing Birbhum girl found in ditch
Times of India | 18 September 2025Manoj Kumar Pal, a physics teacher at the school where the girl studied, was arrested after her parents accused him of abusing, kidnapping and murdering her. A local court on Wednesday remanded Pal in nine days' police custody.
Birbhum police superintendent Amandeep told reporters, "This is a case of murder. Our officers started an investigation after receiving a missing complaint."
As the student did not return after leaving home for tuition on August 28, her parents lodged a missing person diary with Rampurhat police station.
Later, they alleged that Pal had abused and kidnapped her.
After Rampurhat police recovered her decomposed body parts from the ditch around 4km from her home late on Tuesday, the missing person diary was converted into a murder case.
"The body was cut into pieces and thrown into the ditch. Based on a complaint by the family, the teacher has been arrested. A murder case has been registered," said a senior officer of Birbhum district police.
Police sources said it would be difficult to establish whether the girl had been tortured before murder as the body parts had started decomposing.
The accused had taken a transfer to the Birbhum school from a school in Purulia. The headmaster of the Birbhum school said, "We are deeply saddened by the incident. One of our assistant teachers has been arrested. We'll cooperate with the police. Law will take its course."
