10-year-old girl found murdered in Panchkula, father prime suspect

The Class-4 student was last seen leaving her father in their car on Saturday; the father has been missing since

Police are hunting for a 35-year-old man after his 10-year-old daughter was found murdered in the forest near Bander Ghati on Sunday.

Police carrying out investigation at the forest in Bander Ghati where the child was found murdered in Panchkula on Sunday. (Sant Aora/HT)

The victim, Agrima, a student of Class 4, was found dead by a passer-by who sounded the police.

According to police, the child was last seen leaving with her father, Bhupender, in their car around 3pm on Saturday. Bhupender, who takes coaching classes, has been missing since, making him the prime suspect.

Sources said the suspect and his wife, who hailed from Dehradun in Uttarakhand, had marital discord.

Deputy commissioner of police Mohit Handa said efforts were underway to trace the father.

Police have ruled out sexual assault, and registered a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Indian Penal Code. An autopsy will be conducted at the Civil Hospital in Sector 6 on Monday to establish the cause of death.