A three-year-old girl has been raped and strangled to death, with police arresting a 30-year-old neighbour on suspicion of the attack. The incident took place in Muskara, a town in the Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India.
The girl was reportedly playing outside her home in pyjamas on Sunday afternoon (November 1) when she was taken to a nearby field. Her family noticed she was missing and launched an urgent search, finding her body in the field at around 8pm before calling police.
Suspect Shot and Arrested
Officers rushed to the scene, and the suspect, who was reportedly helping the family search for the girl, attempted to flee while shooting at police. Officers returned fire and shot the man in the leg. He was arrested and taken to hospital for medical treatment before detectives began their investigation.
Police confirmed on Monday (November 2) that the 30-year-old man, a neighbour, has been arrested in connection with the attack. The girl was taken from outside her home and raped and murdered at 8pm local time (2.30pm in the UK).
Villagers Clash with Police
After police detained the injured suspect, angry villagers launched stones at their vehicles. Circle Officer (Rath) Rajkumar Pandey said six vehicles, belonging to Rath and Binwar police stations, were damaged. Officers eventually dispersed the crowd and took the suspect into custody.
The girl's body was sent for post-mortem examination. Police said a case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The investigation is ongoing.
According to official census records, the village of Muskara has a population of just over 14,000 people.
