The body of a 14-year-old girl, suspected to have been raped and murdered, was found on a deserted stretch of New Town on Friday morning.

Police said according to the preliminary inquiry, the girl had left her home in North 24-Parganas after being scolded by her mother Thursday night. She had been missing since then.

The police said they had found a note in her house that said she was leaving home. An officer said they had yet to verify if the handwriting matched with that of the victim.

Her body was found dumped in a bushy area close to the Loha (iron) Bridge in New Town’s Action Area-I on Friday morning. Sources said her clothes were torn and her body was mutilated.

The body was sent for post-mortem on Friday.

Deputy commissioner (New Town) of Bidhannagar commissionerate, Manav Singla, said a case had been drawn against unknown persons under sections of murder and protection of children from sexual offences act (POCSO).

Initially, no one in the neighbourhood could recognise the body. It was only a few hours later that her description matched with that of a missing girl whose details were reported by her family.

The body was found inside an area that is protected with iron fencing.

An officer said only those who know that there is an opening at the base of the iron fencing at a particular stretch would be able to get inside this area. “A small portion of the fence is loose at its base. It appears that the killer knew this,” said an officer.

The police said they were in the process of checking the CCTV footage of the closest cameras available on the spot.

“We are probing all possible angles. We will share more once we get hold of the accused,” said an officer of the Bidhannagar commissionerate.