Violent protests are threating to spiral out of control in India after the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl.

The child’s mutilated body was found on Sunday in a pond in Baripur, about 20 miles from Kolkata, West Bengal.

Protests unfolded in the days since and an angry mob lynched a 26-year-old man – who officials have since said was innocent.

Separately, a prime suspect was shot by police after trying to steal a gun and fire at officers during a visit to the crime scene, officials said.

The girl’s parents allege she was raped and murdered by influential men.

Demanding immediate action against the suspects, they staged a sit-in with the girl’s body.

The family also accused the police of not acting quickly enough.

The violent protests have seen police vehicles vandalised, and roads and train tracks blocked

Opposition parties have accused the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of failing to protect women and provide justice and security.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari described the girl’s rape and murder as “horrific”, setting up a special investigation team to examine the case.

Police have arrested four men, who face charges of child sexual abuse, rape and murder.

Superintendent Palash Dhali said the “main accused, Prabhas Mondal, was last seen with the girl and his interrogation resulted in the arrest of others”.

The police took Mondal to the scene early on Thursday morning for a reconstruction of the crime and investigations.

Mr Dhali said: “The accused snatched the arm of one police personnel, fired one round at our team, and attempted to flee the scene.

“During the return firing by the police, Mondal was injured, and he was immediately shifted to Baruipur Hospital, where the attending doctor declared him dead.”

The incident threatens to snowball into a major challenge for the newly elected BJP government, who fought on a platform of safety and security of women in Bengal.

As tensions prevail, there is a heavy police presence and gatherings have been banned.

The incident also has the potential to fuel religious tensions as the victim was a Muslim while the arrested men are Hindus. (Sky News)

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The son of Norway’s crown princess has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape, an Oslo court ruled on Monday.

Marius ‌Borg ​Hoiby pleaded not guilty and can appeal the verdict.

The 29-year-old is Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship before she married Crown Prince Haakon.

What do we know about Hoiby’s trial?

Hoiby was accused of 40 charges, carrying a maximum possible sentence of 16 years in jail.

The rape charges include four different women between 2018 and 2024, with the women allegedly having been sleeping or largely unable. 

The prosecution demanded a sentence of seven years and seven months in prison, while defense lawyers claimed Hoiby should be acquitted of the rape allegation and receive a maximum of 18 months for the offenses he had admitted to.

The prosecution described Hoiby as a man “who thinks he can do whatever he wants,” while the 29-year-old himself insisted he was “not in the habit of having sex with women who are asleep.” He criticized local media for portraying him as a “monster.”

He was also convicted of domestic abuse against an ex-girlfriend, issuing threats and traffic violations, while being acquitted of two other counts of rape.

The seven-week trial made headlines in Norway and included details of Hoiby’s drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 messages as part of the evidence.

One alleged rape took place in the Crown Prince’s basement, the court heard.

What does the verdict mean for Norway’s royal family? 

Having previously enjoyed large popularity among the public, the trial has further hurt the royal family’s reputation in Norway.

It came on the heels of Crown Princess ‘s recent apology for her friendship with late sex offender Jeffery Epstein.

A survey from February 21 found that the number of Norwegians that are in favor of keeping the monarchy hit around 60%, a record low, though support rose 4% by May.

The crown princess is facing a difficult time in terms of her health; she is on the waiting list for a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis. (DW)

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A Sri Lankan national has been arrested in Israel over allegations of rape of a schoolgirl enrolled at a special needs institution, Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Israel confirmed.

The suspect, who reportedly arrived in Israel for employment in May 2025, had taken up temporary work outside his official job sector. He was arrested by police at the Beit Shemesh Police Station and remains in custody as investigations continue, according to information received by the Embassy from Interpol’s Israeli branch.

Israeli authorities are probing the case as one involving the abuse of a minor with special needs, Ambassador Nimal Bandara said.

In a statement, the Embassy reiterated Israel’s strict laws on criminal and social conduct, warning that serious offences can lead to long-term imprisonment and deportation for foreign nationals.

Sri Lankans living in Israel were urged to adhere strictly to local laws and social norms. (Newswire)

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Three youths, including two who allegedly raped a Grade 11 schoolgirl on several occasions and another who aided the crime, have been arrested in the Ginigathhena area, it was reported. 

According to reports, the Ginigathhena Police said the suspects were taken into custody on January 18.

Investigations revealed that the schoolgirl had been in a romantic relationship with a youth from Gonawala, Ginigathhena, and that when she went to meet him, he had lured her to a friend’s house.

The boyfriend and his friends had allegedly raped her at this location, according to the complaint made to the Ginigathhena Police.

The girl, who is under the care of her grandmother, had left home on the morning of January 17 and returned at night. The grandmother had then lodged a complaint with the Ginigathhena Police based on her suspicion. Following the investigation, the schoolgirl had recorded a statement with the Police, during which she had disclosed details. 

According to her statement, she had been raped on several occasions. The girl has been referred to the Judicial Medical Officer at Nawalapitiya District General Hospital for medical examination.

The arrested suspects, aged 16 and 17, were produced before the Hatton Magistrate’s Court yesterday and have been remanded until February 2. (Newswire)

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The Monaragala Division Crime Investigation Unit has arrested a suspect after a year for allegedly raping and impregnating an underage girl, it was reported. 

The 25-year-old suspect, a resident of Badulla, is reported to have allegedly raped an underage girl and fled from the area when she was found to be pregnant. 

Thereafter, he was employed at a livestock farm in Guruthalawa.

Following a complaint filed by the victim, the Police had conducted investigations since August 2024.

The suspect was arrested on Monday (10) and has been handed over to the Wellawaya Police for further investigations. (Newswire)

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The main suspect in the rape of a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital has been identified by the victim.

The victim doctor had identified the suspect during an identification parade before Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya.. 

The identification parade had taken place at the official quarters of the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate today. 

The female doctor was raped inside her official quarters at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital after being held at knife-point by the suspect on 10 March.

Following the incident, the man had escaped along with a mobile phone belonging to the female doctor.

The man was arrested in the Galnewa area the following day, with the Police being able to locate him by tracking the stolen mobile phone. 

The incident had sparked outrage, with the medical fraternity staging a token strike over the incident. (Newswire)

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The strike launched by the doctors and staff of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, following the rape of a female doctor, has been called off. 

Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told Newswire that the strike was called off following discussions with relevant authorities, including the Governor of the North Central Province. 

“The strike was called off after considering key reasons such as promises to ensure the safety of healthcare workers inside the hospital premises by the Police and relevant authorities, the positive response by the authorities to address the brutal assault, and the responsibility of healthcare workers towards patients,” he said. 

Dr. Wijesinghe further said that the strike launched by the GMOA in this regard had also ended at 08.00 am today.

Stating that the GMOA had declared a 24-hour token strike to protest the rape incident, he said the strike had ended accordingly. 

Strikes were launched by the doctors and staff of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital and the GMOA after a female doctor was raped inside her official quarters at the hospital premises on Monday night. 

The strikes were launched demanding the immediate arrest of the suspect, who was arrested in Galnewa the following day. (Newswire)

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The suspect arrested in connection to the rape of a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital is an individual who had been recently released from prison over another case. 

According to Ada Derana, the suspect is a 34-year-old resident of Galnewa and had been living as a monk, after having deserted the military in the past.

He was arrested in Galnewa this morning by a special team of the Galnewa Police Station. 

Following the rape incident, the suspect had fled with one mobile phone belonging to the victim, which the Police had traced using its location tracker. 

As the location had last indicated near the Avukana Railway Station, the Police had searched the area.

During the search, the suspect was then found hiding in the Elabadugama area in Galnewa. 

The man was wanted for having brutally raped the female doctor at her allocated quarters at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital on Monday night.

The incident had occurred after the doctor had been returning to her quarters following night duty. 

The incident sparked outrage, with the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) launching a nationwide strike this morning. 

Addressing the Parliament today, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said that five special Police teams had been deployed for the immediate arrest of the suspect.

Informing Parliament of the suspect’s arrest, he further assured that all necessary measures have been taken to take stringent legal action against the suspect. (Newswire)

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The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has decided to continue its nationwide token strike until 08.00 am tomorrow (13 Mar). 

The GMOA launched the strike action at 08.00 am today demanding the arrest of the suspect wanted over the rape of a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. 

The Police arrested the suspect in Galnewa this morning. 

Speaking to Newswire, GMOA spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said, however, the medical fraternity has decided to continue the strike action to show solidarity with the affected female doctor. 

He further said that the token strike was not limited to the demand to arrest the suspect but to show extreme displeasure and protest over the incident. 

Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said this incident has raised the question of the safety of healthcare workers in Sri Lanka, noting that the GMOA’s strike also highlights the need for a discussion on similar incidents occurring in society. 

The GMOA spokesperson added that a strong action plan is required to address and prevent such brutal incidents in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The suspect who was wanted for allegedly raping a female doctor inside the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital premises has been arrested.

The Police said the suspect was arrested in the Galnewa area today. 

The man is accused of threatening the female doctor with a knife and allegedly raping her, while she was on night duty on Monday night.

The incident had sparked outrage, with doctors at the hospital staging a strike demanding the immediate arrest of the suspect.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) had also announced a nationwide one-day token strike from 08.00 am today in protest against the brutal sexual assault. (Newswire)

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Doctors at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital have launched a strike over an incident of rape.

The striking doctors are demanding the arrest of an individual who had allegedly raped a lady doctor at the hospital premises.

It is reported that a female doctor had been allegedly raped at the doctors’ quarters last night (10 Mar).

Raising the matter in Parliament today, Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa said the doctor had faced the situation while en route to her on-call duty room.

“An outsider is said to have threatened the doctor using a knife. He is then said to have allegedly raped her inside her duty room. Sri Lanka has not heard of such incidents inside a hospital in recent times,” he said.

MP Premadasa said it is a serious issue for a doctor to be attacked while on duty at a prominent state hospital, stating that it raises questions about the safety of female doctors at hospitals.

Condemning the incident, the Opposition Leader said even female officers engaged in public service are being inconvenienced and it was a serious problem for the safety of the people.

Urging the government to take strict action regarding this incident, MP Premadasa said the opposition was ready to support the enactment of the necessary legislation to impose severe punishment on those who commit such barbaric acts. (Newswire)

• Anuradhapura Doctor Rape: Suspect Identified as Army Deserter

https://www.newswire.lk/2025/03/11/anuradhapura-doctor-rape-suspect-identified-as-army-deserter/

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A 32 year old Sri Lankan national has been charged with raping his former girlfriend, Malta media reported. The suspect was formally charged in a Maltese court, facing multiple serious allegations.

The suspect was accused of raping a woman believed to be his former girlfriend, holding her against her will, engaging in non-consensual sexual acts, harassment, causing her to fear violence, stalking, hurling insults and threats, and misusing electronic telecommunications equipment.

Police revealed in court that the man had fled to Sri Lanka when police initially attempted to arrest him but was detained upon his return to Malta.

Malta media reports that the case is significant as the Attorney General has not approved it for resolution in the Court of Magistrates, suggesting it might instead proceed to a jury trial.

Investigators also pointed out that Malta lacks extradition treaties with Sri Lanka, complicating efforts to secure the suspect’s presence for trial should he abscond. Upon hearing submissions the magistrate denied bail for the Sri Lankan, while a protection order was granted in favour of the victim. (Newswire)

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An 18-year-old girl from Kadugannawa has been abducted and sexually abused by four persons, the Kadugannawa Police stated. 

According to Lankadeepa, the suspects who had arrived in a three-wheeler had abducted the girl near the Hatharaliyadda Buddha Statue and had molested her in front of the Poththapitiya Kurulu Wewa.

The victim had informed the Police that one suspect had raped her while the other three had sexually molested her inside the three-wheeler.

The teenager further revealed that the suspects seemed to be under the influence of some form of drugs. 

The Police stated that the victim has been hospitalized for a medical examination. 

The Kadugannawa Police added that one suspect involved in the incident has been identified. (NewsWire)

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A 56-year-old man has been sentenced to 36 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping and impregnating his underage sister-in-law in 2008.

Issuing the order yesterday, Hambantota High Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage also imposed a fine of Rs.15,000 and a compensation of Rs. 600,000 to the victim. 

According to Daily News, the suspect, who is a father of two, is reported to have raped his underage sister-in-law on several occasions at a house in Kataragama in 2008.

Investigations have revealed that the victim was residing with her sister and her brother-in-law due to her parents being employed in Colombo.

It has been revealed that the victim’s sister and mother who were aware of the incident had concealed the matter and had been hesitant to seek Police assistance.

However, the victim’s elder brother had notified the Police after the victim was found to be pregnant a few months after the incident. 

The suspect who was arrested over the rape was charged under three indictments by the Attorney General. (NewsWire)

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A 14-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl in the Araawatte area in Mahiyangana.

According to the Daily News, the Police stated that the incident is reported to have taken place at the victim’s residence.

The suspect is a Grade 09 student at a school in Orubendiwewa, Mahiyangana, while the victim is also a Grade 07 student at a school in the same area. 

The Police stated that the suspect is the neighbour of the victim and had allegedly raped her while she was at home alone.

Investigations have revealed that the minor had allegedly sexually abused the victim on several previous occasions as well.

The Police stated that the victim has been admitted to the Mahiyangana Hospital for a medical examination.

The 14-year-old suspect has been arrested by the Mahiyanganaya Police who are conducting further investigations into the incident. (NewsWire)

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