10-year-old girl raped and murdered in Haridwar, body found in almirah

The girl was found missing since 3 pm after she had gone out to play near her house.

Uttarakhand police on Monday arrested a youth for allegedly raping and murdering a ten-year-old girl in Haridwar district on Sunday late evening, said police.

Image for representation.

The girl was found missing since 3 pm after she had gone out to play near her house. After an intense search by the police, her body was found in a neighbouring apartment, said police.

Superintendent of City Police, Haridwar, Kamlesh Upadhyay said that the minor girl was found missing from her home at Rishikul Colony on Sunday evening after which her parents informed the police and a search operation was carried out.

“After an intense search operation, the police found the body of the girl tied with ropes in an almirah of a three-storey house which the main accused and his accomplice had rented as an accommodation. After the post-mortem report, a case has been registered against the two. The main accused, Ramteerth Yadav, resident of Rishikul Colony, has been arrested while the other accused, Rajeev, is absconding. To nab him, a police team has been formed,” said Upadhyay.

Station house officer (SHO) City Police Station Amarjeet Singh said the accused had lured the minor girl on the pretext of playing with toys after which they took her to their room and committed the heinous act. Both the accused also tried to mislead the police and the victim’s family members by joining in the search operation for the missing girl. When the search was done at their rooms, the body of the minor girl was found with injuries on her body.

Singh said a case has been registered against the accused under Sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder ), 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO).

Shocked by the incident, the angry locals torched a two-wheeler near the house from where the body of the minor girl was recovered, demanding hanging of the two accused. Several social organisations representatives also arrived at the crime scene and paid homage to the deceased minor girl.

Local MLA Swami Yaitshwaranand also arrived at the spot and consoled the family members of the victim.