Kolkata: An angry mob blocked the road to protest the alleged gangrape and murder of a school girl at Chopra on Sunday afternoon and evening, they set fire on three buses and police vehicles. The National highway 31, which connects state capital Kolkata to Siliguri, turned into a battleground.

The protest took place around 500 km north of Kolkata. Police almost tried two hours to disperse the protesters but mere met with fierce resistance, forcing the cops to resort to a lathi-charge and firing tear gas.

According to the sister of girl who was killed, the victim had just passed her class 10 board exam. The family members launched a search party after the girl went missing last night and spotted her body under a tree. Local people have alleged that she was gangraped and murdered. Two bicycles and some mobile phones found at the scene have been handed over to the police.

The violence began at around 2 PM, lasted for several hours and at least three buses and police vehicles were torched. Police believed they had dispersed the crowd at around 5 PM but the protesters simply moved on another arterial road and began attacking cops with bows and arrows. Protests broke out soon after the girl’s body was found. The situation is now under control, say local police, and an investigation has been launched into the death of the girl.