A 30-year-old man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar on Friday for allegedly raping and murdering a six-year-old girl who was found dead inside his room, the police said. The accused was arrested after being injured in an encounter with the police as he was allegedly trying to escape.
The police said that the girl’s parents and the accused were from Assam and worked as labourers. They had come to the locality a few months ago, the police added.
As per the First Information Report (FIR) lodged in the jurisdictional police station on Thursday night, when the girl’s parents, who work as labourers, returned home in the evening, they did not find her in their room. When they began searching for her, they learnt that a man in the vicinity took her to his room by promising to give her a pack of biscuits, the FIR said.
The parents rushed to his room along with several other people. As the room was locked, they broke the door open and found their daughter’s body under a blanket, the FIR said.
“She died of asphyxiation as her mouth was stuffed with a cloth. The accused fled after she died,” a senior police officer said.
The accused was spotted in a nearby forest area on Friday morning and was arrested after he suffered injuries in his legs after being shot at by the police. The police said he was arrested under sections 63 (rape) and 101 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
“He was sent to jail on Friday. We will pray in court that the case be taken on a fast-track basis and will file a chargesheet within 10 days to ensure justice for the girl’s family,” the police officer added.
Discover the Benefits of Our Subscription!
Stay informed with access to our award-winning journalism.
Avoid misinformation with trusted, accurate reporting.
Make smarter decisions with insights that matter.
Choose your subscription package