The naked body of a girl, who tried to save her father from being beaten up at a village kangaroo court for failing to pay for a rented tractor, was found near the railway tracks at Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri district, police said today.
The 'Salishi Sabha' (self-appointed village court) was convened at Dhupguri on Monday night and the girl's body was found yesterday, Jalpaiguri Additional Superintendent of Police James Kujur said.
After identifying the body, the victim's father lodged an FIR against 13 persons at the Dhupguri Police Station for "rape, murder and kidnapping" of his daughter.
Trouble began at the 'Sabha' when the farmer's request for some more time to make the payment was turned down, the police said adding local Trinamool Congress councillor Namita Roy and her husband were present at the meeting.
The girl rushed out of her house pleading with the villagers not to beat her father, but a person known to her took her away from the meeting and she went missing since then, the police said.
The councillor was not available for comment.
District TMC president Sourav Chakrabarty, however, said the police were investigating the incident and there was no need to give "political colour" to it.
Jalpaiguri Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal and the ASP rushed to the spot last night.
