A minor girl was allegedly molested by a group of unknown men in Hooghly district on Friday night, triggering a series of protests by political parties which cited the increasing rate of crimes against women in Bengal.

A source said a 17-year-old schoolgirl was found with her clothes torn by local people. Police reached the spot and took the girl to a hospital for medical examination.

A police officer said they had already started a case under various criminal sections, including sexual assault, following complaints lodged by the mother of the victim. In the complaint, the mother wrote that four persons allegedly forced her to get into a white car and later they molested the minor.

The CPM and the BJP organised multiple protests in the Hooghly district, accusing the police of failing to provide security to a school-going girl.

The police, however, claimed that there was a disparity between the complaint lodged by the mother and the statement of the victim.

“...we examined the CCTV footage but it did not corroborate what was claimed in the complaint,” said Hooghly Rural police chief Kamansish Sen.

Sen also said one of the four persons whom the victim and his family member identified was not even in the state during the alleged crime was committed.