The police have registered a case in the sexual assault and killing of a four-year-old girl in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Villagers found the body floating in a well on May 29 and informed the police who took it for a post-mortem, the police said.

“The post-mortem has revealed sexual assault and homicide of the girl,” said Kumar Saurabh, District Superintendent of police. “We are inquiring into the incident.”

Mr. Saurabh said though the case relating to the incident, which occurred on the intervening night of May 28-29, was registered on May 31, the accused were yet to be identified. “Suspects have been called in for questioning,” he added.

During the course of the investigation, a police official was found negligent. “We have suspended the in-charge of the police station under whose limits the incident had occurred,” he said.

“He didn’t inform senior officials of the incident or reach the spot immediately, and didn’t collect information from villagers for a report to seniors,” said Mr. Saurabh.