Decomposed body found in Gayaganga tea garden; uncle arrested for alleged murder of niece

PRASHANT ACHARYA

SILIGURI,: Tension gripped Gayaganga Tea Garden area under Phansidewa police station after the decomposed body of a missing tribal girl was discovered in a drain on Tuesday evening. The girl, a class IX student, had been missing since August 18 and a complaint had been lodged at Ghoshpukur police outpost the same night.

The discovery was made by tea garden workers who noticed a foul smell emanating from the drain. Upon investigation, they found the body partly covered with mud and boulders, apparently in an attempt to conceal it. The deceased's family suspected foul play, believing she was raped and murdered.

Police including the Rapid Action Force, forensic experts and high-ranking officials quickly converged on the scene. Darjeeling SP Praween Prakash and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad Sabhadhipati Arun Ghosh were also present to oversee the situation.

In a shocking turn of events, Rakesh Xess, the uncle of the deceased, was arrested following a joint investigation by the police and forensic teams. Rakesh, who had earlier demanded capital punishment for those responsible for the crime, confessed to killing his niece.

Darjeeling SP said, “We have arrested deceased’s uncle Rakesh Xess who also confessed of killing his niece but its unclear why killed her.”

According to Rakesh’s statement, he strangled her and attempted to hide the body under boulders. Rakesh claimed he was driven to the act after his warnings against her social media activities including making reels were ignored. He stated that he feared social stigma, which led him to commit the crime.

However, Darjeeling SP emphasized that the investigation is ongoing to determine the true motive and whether the girl was sexually assaulted before her death. A forensic team has been deployed at the scene to gather evidence with the possibility of using a dog squad to further the investigation.