8-year-old girl killed to avenge enmity with her brother
The accused revealed that he had a strained relationship with the victim’s brother, who lives in his neighbourhood.
Four days after a 20-year-old girl went missing, Himachal Pradesh (HP) Police has arrested a relative of the victim whose body was found lying in semi-nude condition in Kotla area of Shahpur sub-division of Kangra district of the state, around 240 km from here.
Police officials said that the girl was reported missing by her parents on 6 February when she did not return home after visiting her sister-in-law’s place on 5 February.
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Her body was found lying in the forest on Saturday evening after which the police arrested her relative identified as Saran Das.
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Sources said the girl was having an affair with the accused since the last 2 to 3 years and she had willingly gone with him. “However, a quarrel broke out between the two, allegedly over marriage as Saran is already married, after which he reportedly killed her,” sources said, adding he later dumped her body in the forest.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Kangra, Santosh Patial said the accused was known to the victim and she was in constant touch with him before she was strangulated to death. “Her body was handed over to her parents after autopsy and we are awaiting her medical reports to confirm whether she was sexually assaulted or not,” he said.
Police sources said claimed the victim’s father, mistakenly provided wrong contact number of the victim at the time of filing missing complaint which led to delay in tracing her.
“He, however, corrected it on 9 February and in the meantime, her body was recovered by the police,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the victim’s parents staged a protest against the delay in tracing the victim.
Police have registered a case in this regard and further investigations in the matter are on.
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