3-year-old found dead in Delhi; neighbour held, sexual assault suspected

The girl's body was recovered near Kapashera Nala four days after she went missing, leading to the arrest of her neighbour.

The body of a three-year-old girl was found near the Kapashera Nala in southwest Delhi on Wednesday, four days after she went missing from her home in the area, police said on Thursday, adding that a man, a neighbour, had been arrested in the case after a brief exchange of fire. Police suspect he had kidnapped the girl, sexually assaulted and killed her, before dumping her body.

Delhi Police arrested the victim's neighbour in connection with the alleged kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of the three-year-old girl, (Unsplash/representational image)

“Early on Wednesday, we received information regarding the recovery of a child’s body from Kapashera Nala near FIMT College. The deceased was identified as the same missing girl,” said DCP (southwest) Amit Goel.

According to the police, the girl went missing in the afternoon of July 10, when failing to find her, the victim’s parents informed the police. An FIR of kidnapping was immediately lodged and a search was begun.

A search of the immediate area around the house, review of CCTV footage, and questioning of neighbours did not yield any information. The body was eventually found in the nala in the intervening hours between Tuesday and Wednesday.

“During further analysis of CCTV footage near the spot, a suspect was identified. The accused, 37, a resident of Ballia, was identified as the girl’s neighbour. On Wednesday night, a raid was conducted at several hideouts in Kapashera village,” said the DCP.

Police found the accused inside a house from where he allegedly opened fired at the police team. In response, they fired one round, causing an injury to his left leg. The accused was arrested. Police said a country-made pistol and one live cartridge were recovered from his possession.

Senior officers said they found that the accused picked up the child when she was alone outside her house and took her to his apartment, where he sexually assaulted her and later killed her. “He secretly took the body from the building to the Nala Road where he dumped it in the forested area,” said another officer.

During preliminary interrogation, police said the accused confessed to the murder of the 3-year-old girl. He was immediately shifted to the hospital for medical treatment.

The accused is a tailor by profession. He is married and his wife and five-year-old son reside in Ballia, said the police.

The minor’s father works as a labourer while her mother is a gardener at a school. The family lives in a one-room set in an apartment building in Kapashera area.