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Dhanbad is emerging as the state’s new crime capital.
A three-year-old Sindri girl was kidnapped by her neighbour, apparently raped, bludgeoned to death and dumped in a bush less than a kilometre from her home on Monday night. The accused, a 22-year-old daily wage earner, has been arrested.
The incident comes close on the heels of the abduction of a 10-year-old boy by his father’s colleague over a land dispute on Sunday. He, however, had a lucky escape.
Monday’s victim was the daughter of a garage employee and lived in the Gaushala area of Sindri. The accused, Gullu Reddy, lived close by and was a frequent visitor to her home. Around 7pm on Monday, the neighbourhood suffered a power failure and Gullu offered to take the child for a biscuit treat at a nearby shop. Her parents, who knew Gullu for long, never suspected his intentions.
“We were alarmed when he did not return with my child even after an hour. We launched a frantic search. By 9pm, police were also informed,” the bereaved father said.
Gaushala outpost officer in charge Rajdeo Sharma said they arrested Gullu an hour later on Monday from the Balubankar area of Sindri. “First, he denied that he knew where the child was, but later gave in to our grilling. He said he had smashed her head with a boulder and dumped her in a bush,” Sharma said, adding that the body was recovered on Tuesday morning.
Sindri deputy superintendent of police Chadan Sinha said Gullu had confessed to murder, but not rape. “However, preliminary investigations suggest sexual assault before the child was bludgeoned with a boulder. A medical examination and autopsy will confirm the rape angle,” he added.
How can Dhanbad police check the rising crime graph?
Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
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