Guwahati, Aug 3: Assam Police in the Hailakandi district have arrested five people in connection with the brutal murder of a 15-year-old girl at her residence in the Aloichora area under Katlichera police station, officials said on Monday.

Police said that the suspects are scheduled to be produced before a local court on Monday as authorities widen their investigation to explore all possible angles in the horrific crime.

A senior police official said the incident occurred late Saturday night around 11:00 p.m. when the victim was alone at home.

According to local sources, the girl had initially gone to a nearby relative’s house with her family to attend a feast. However, following a minor disagreement with a cousin, she returned home early.

When the family returned later that night, they discovered her body lying on the floor. The assault was carried out with extreme brutality — her face and head were heavily disfigured, rendering her body almost unrecognisable to her family.

The victim’s relatives have alleged that she was sexually assaulted before being murdered, citing severe injuries found on the body.

The discovery of the crime sparked intense public outrage in the region.

Angry local residents took to the streets and blocked National Highway 6, demanding immediate action, the swift arrest of those responsible, and stringent punishment for the culprits.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in the Hailakandi district, Amitabh Sinha, confirmed that a formal case has been registered and that law enforcement moved quickly to pick up five individuals for questioning.

While the family continues to maintain that sexual violence took place, police officials stated that they are awaiting the final post-mortem report to medically confirm the allegations of sexual assault and establish the precise cause of death.

Reiterating its commitment to justice, the district administration assured that strict legal action will follow against anyone found involved in the crime.

Forensic teams have collected evidence from the crime scene, and police are currently cross-examining the detained individuals to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the murder.

Kolkata, Aug 3: The West Bengal Police arrested a Trinamool Congress leader and recovered firearms, live cartridges and a bomb from his house during a search operation in South 24 Parganas district’s Canning area, police officials said on Monday.

The accused has been identified as Alauddin Tarafdar, a resident of Uttar Angadberia village under Dighirpar gram panchayat in the Canning police station area. The police said he is a Trinamool Congress (TMC) booth president.

According to the police, a raid was carried out at Tarafdar’s residence late on Sunday night following a tip-off. During the search, officers recovered a firearm, a small firearm, four live cartridges and a live bomb. He was arrested, and the recovered weapons were taken into custody for forensic examination as well as further investigation.

The accused is scheduled to be produced before the Alipore court on Monday. A police officer said investigators would seek his police custody to question him further.

“An application will be made to take him into police custody for the sake of investigation. We are trying to ascertain why the firearms and explosives were kept there and whether any other persons are linked to the case,” the officer said.

The arrest comes amid a series of arms recoveries in South 24 Parganas and adjoining districts over the past few weeks.

On July 27, the police conducted a joint raid in the Bishnupur area of South 24 Parganas and arrested three persons after recovering two firearms, three rounds of live ammunition and cash amounting to Rs 20,65,900.

Earlier, on June 20, the police recovered 14 long-range firearms and 95 rounds of ammunition from a pond in Basanti in the same district. Two local TMC leaders were arrested in connection with the recovery. The weapons were allegedly concealed in the pond near the residence of Shaokat Gayen.

In another incident on June 15, fishermen casting nets in a pond at Habra in North 24 Parganas found two bags containing eight firearms and 97 rounds of live cartridges. The police later seized the weapons and launched an investigation into their origin and intended use.

Srinagar, Aug 3: Joint security forces on Sunday apprehended a suspected individual during a “naka” checking operation near Fruit Mandi in Rajpora area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir, official sources said.

The arrested person has been identified as Tausif Ahmad Dar, a resident of Pulwama.

According to sources in the security establishment, the “naka” (Checkpost) was set up as part of routine area domination and preventive measures in the sensitive zone.

During the search of the suspect, security personnel recovered a hand grenade, one mobile phone and three anti-national posters from his possession, sources confirmed.

The recovery of the explosive device and propaganda material has raised concerns about possible attempts to disrupt peace in the region.

A case has been registered under FIR No. 107/2026 at Rajpora Police Station, police sources said.

The FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the law dealing with possession of explosives and anti-national activities. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the grenade, the origin of the posters and any possible links of the accused with militant or over-ground worker networks.

Security officials said that such “naka” operations are being intensified across Pulwama and adjoining areas to foil any potential threats and maintain law and order.

The recovery of the hand grenade, in particular, is being treated with seriousness given the potential for its use in targeted attacks or to create panic among civilians.

Sources indicated that the phone seized from the accused is being subjected to forensic examination to check for communication records or digital evidence that could point to larger networks.

Investigators are also examining the content and origin of the anti-national posters recovered from the suspect.

The incident comes amid ongoing efforts by security forces to keep a tight vigil in south Kashmir, which has witnessed sporadic attempts by anti-national elements to revive subversive activities. Officials maintained that continuous area domination, intelligence-based operations and public cooperation remain key to preventing such threats.

Tausif Ahmad Dar remains in custody for detailed questioning as the probe continues, sources added.

Police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the nearest security post or police station.