Kolkata, Oct 16 (IANS): Nadia district police in West Bengal, on Wednesday afternoon, arrested a youth in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a woman in her early twenties, whose half-charred and semi-nude body was recovered earlier this morning.

A senior district police official said that first, the investigating officials tracked the identity of the victim and then contacted her family members. “On the basis of their complaints, we have arrested a youth. For the sake of investigation we are unable to reveal the youth’s identity as of now,” said a district police official.

According to statements given by the family members of the victim, she went out of her residence at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, though she did not inform her family members about where she was going.

Her family members started searching for her as she did not return home till late; they did not inform the local police station immediately.

“The victim’s grandfather this morning also went to the residence of the arrested youth, who was acquainted with the victim. However, the inconsistent statements given by the accused raised doubts in the mind of the victim’s grandfather, who then contacted the local police. Thereafter, the identity of the victim, whose face was totally charred, surfaced. Then on the basis of specific complaints by the family members of the victim, the accused youth was arrested,” the district police official added.

The body was discovered by some local people who were on a morning walk. The recovery of the body created tension in the area.

West Bengal is already on the boil over the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor at R. G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata this August, with a group of junior doctors already undergoing fast-unto-death protests on the issue.

This month, Jaynagar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal was on the boil over a similar rape and murder of a minor girl.