TRICHY: A 26-year-old man who sold flowers in temples was arrested on Thursday for raping and murdering a seven-year-old dalit girl at Aranthangi in Pudukottaidistrict. Pudukottai district superintendent of police P Ve Arun Sakthi Kumar told TOI that the accused, M Raja, committed penetrative sexual assault and that he had confessed to the crime.
The victim has been staying at her grandmother’s house and used to frequent a nearby Kali temple to play. Police said the accused used to offer her sweets whenever he visited the temple.
On Tuesday, he came in an inebriated state, took the girl to a secluded place and raped her. He then killed her and threw her body near a pond. The girl had gone missing from her home on Tuesday afternoon following which her parents lodged a complaint with the Embal police. After a search, they found her body with multiple injuries from the bushes on Wednesday.
Police found during inquiry that the girl was spotted with Raja on that day. He was taken into custody and inquired when he confessed, said the SP. The accused was booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder), 364 (abduction) and 201 for misleading police. He was also booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018.
National commission for the protection of child rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and started investigations. It has directed the district collector and superintendent of police to speed up the investigation. Announcing a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami promised strict action against the perpetrator. Expressing shock over the murder, DMK president M K Stalin raised concerns over the safety of women and children in the state. AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran has also demanded speedy trial and strict punishment for the perpetrator.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
The victim has been staying at her grandmother’s house and used to frequent a nearby Kali temple to play. Police said the accused used to offer her sweets whenever he visited the temple.
On Tuesday, he came in an inebriated state, took the girl to a secluded place and raped her. He then killed her and threw her body near a pond. The girl had gone missing from her home on Tuesday afternoon following which her parents lodged a complaint with the Embal police. After a search, they found her body with multiple injuries from the bushes on Wednesday.
Police found during inquiry that the girl was spotted with Raja on that day. He was taken into custody and inquired when he confessed, said the SP. The accused was booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder), 364 (abduction) and 201 for misleading police. He was also booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018.
National commission for the protection of child rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and started investigations. It has directed the district collector and superintendent of police to speed up the investigation. Announcing a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami promised strict action against the perpetrator. Expressing shock over the murder, DMK president M K Stalin raised concerns over the safety of women and children in the state. AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran has also demanded speedy trial and strict punishment for the perpetrator.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
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