Chhattisgarh man raped, killed 7-year-old girl; sniffer dog leads to his house: Police

The child’s body was recovered from bushes behind a poultry farm in the Rajgamar police chowki area on Thursday morning.

Published on: Oct 23, 2026, 16:09:54 IST

By Ritesh Mishra, RAIPUR

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A 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Korba district, three days after she went missing, police said on Friday.

The child’s body was recovered from bushes behind a poultry farm in the Rajgamar police chowki area on Thursday morning. Police said a sniffer dog helped investigators trace the suspect to his house in the Ravanbhatha locality.

In a statement, police said the girl had gone missing on the Monday evening, October 19, soon after she stepped out to buy something from a nearby grocery shop. Her father later approached the police, saying she had not returned.

The girl’s father had moved with his four children to Rajgamar from Sakti district four months ago and worked at a poultry farm to support his family, an official said.

On Thursday morning, police received information about a child’s body in the bushes behind the poultry farm. A forensic team and a police dog were subsequently brought in as part of the investigation.

The sniffer dog led investigators to a house in Ravanbhatha, following which police detained and questioned the suspect. He was identified as Ajay alias Amit Chauhan, a resident of Devmati Para under Bango police station, around 60 km from Rajgamar, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Korba, Lakhan Patle said Chauhan came to Ravanbhatha on Monday to visit a woman he claimed was his second wife. He spotted the girl alone, sexually assaulted her, murdered her, and fled the spot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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