SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
In a shocking turn of events, a nine-year-old girl residing with her family in rented accommodation in Swaroop Nagar, North Delhi, was raped and murdered by her 52-year-old landlord on December 12. The devastating incident came to light when her body was allegedly dumped in the Munak canal. The accused has since been apprehended by the authorities.
The victim, who lived with her parents, both employed as factory workers, and two younger brothers, went missing on December 12. The mother, leaving for work with her youngest child, returned to find the six-year-old son in distress, unable to locate his sister. A concerned neighbour took the boy to the mother's workplace, reporting the girl as missing.
The family filed a police complaint at Swaroop Nagar police station around 8:30 pm on the same day, initiating an investigation under IPC section 363 for kidnapping. CCTV footage played a crucial role in identifying the last person seen with the girl—the landlord. The parents positively identified him from the footage.
The landlord, initially unavailable for questioning due to a reported accident, eventually disclosed the horrifying details during police interrogation on December 17. He admitted to abducting, raping, and subsequently killing the young girl on the fateful day. According to his statement, he disposed of her body in the Munak canal out of fear.
The charges against the accused were escalated to include IPC sections 364 (kidnapping to commit murder), 302 (murder), and 201 (destruction of evidence), along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Despite the arrest, uncertainties surround the exact circumstances of the girl's death, as the accused has provided conflicting accounts. Efforts to locate the victim's remains in the canal have proven challenging, with divers and specialized teams diligently searching since December 17.
The heart-wrenching incident prompted the victim's family and concerned neighbours to block GT Karnal Road near Swaroop Nagar, demanding swift justice and the recovery of the girl's remains. Police assured the crowd of their commitment to the case, leading to the dispersal of protesters.
As investigations continue, authorities are meticulously retracing the landlord's movements on December 12 to gather evidence and validate the sequence of events provided by the accused. The tragic incident has left the community in shock, underscoring the urgent need for preventive measures and justice for the innocent victim.
