Dalit schoolgirl found dead in Bulandshar, one suspect in custody

The police said an autopsy had ruled out sexual assault and concluded that the girl, a Class 10 student, died of a head injury.

The investigators said at present they did not have evidence to suggest that it was a caste-based crime. It could only be established once the accused were identified and arrested, they added.

“We received information that a minor had been murdered in rural Bulandshar area. As per public description and information a suspect was identified who tried to flee after spotting the police. He was taken into custody and we are questioning him. We will make the arrest if his involvement is established. The police are making all possible efforts to crack the case,” said Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Santosh Kumar.

The police and local people said the girl left her village in the Khurja area on Thursday to attend a tuition class.

The police suspect that she was attacked on the route and killed with a fatal blow to the head.

The autopsy by a three-doctor panel established the cause of death and ruled out any injury to the victim’s private parts, officials said.

The entire procedure was filmed.

At present, six police teams are investigating the case. They are relying heavily on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts to establish the sequence of events.

Officials said that after coming to know of the girl’s death villagers started protesting, forcing the local authorities to deploy the police. But at present, there was no law-and-order problem in the village, the police added.