The body of a 15-year-old girl, suspected to be raped and murdered, was found at a locality in Malda district on Tuesday morning.

Hours later, a youth was arrested for his alleged role in the case.

The incident comes close on the heels of recurring violence in a North Dinajpur village over allegations that a 17-year-old girl was raped and killed last Friday.

Sources said some residents spotted the girl's body and informed the police who sent it to Malda Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.

The girl was missing since Monday afternoon and her family members, after searching for her, had informed the police.

Though the autopsy would confirm the cause of death, sources said it appeared the girl was throttled.

On Tuesday, supporters of the BJP and some Left parties reached MMCH and demonstrated there.

In the evening, Malda police chief Pradeep Kumar Yadav said they arrested a youth. “Interrogations are on,” he said.

The deceased knew the youth who was arrested, sources said.

Rape arrest

A minor girl from Alipurduar district was raped on April 20. The accused youth has been arrested.

14 kids hurt in NH12 crash

Behrampore: Fourteen children of a school were injured, one of them critically, when their carpool vehicle collided with a truck on NH12 off Murshidabad's Mankara village on Tuesday.

The driver of the carpool was also injured.

Eyewitnesses said the accident ocuured around 10am near a bend on the two-lane highway, when the Behrampore-bound truck was reportedly speeding on the wrong flank.

ALAMGIR HOSSAIN