E-Paper
Girl,7, found dead at Ghaziabad’s under-construction mall; police probe rape, murder
The seven-year-old, daughter of a construction worker, was found dead in the basement of an under-construction mall in Raj Nagar Extension.
A seven-year-old girl’s body was found at an under-construction mall in Ghaziabad’s Raj Nagar Extension on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, with her family alleging that she was gang raped and murdered after being kidnapped from near her house.
Police officers said the body of the girl, the daughter of a construction worker who had been staying near the construction site, was found in the mall around 1am on Saturday. The family, originally from Bihar, had been living near the construction site for the past couple of years.
The deceased’s father told HT that the girl went missing around 7-8pm on Friday. “We started searching for her, and a couple of hours later her body was found in the basement of the under-construction mall. In the camera, we saw two people taking away my daughter. We spotted her body around 1am and immediately informed the police,” the father said.
No clothes on body
“There were no clothes on her body, and there was bleeding from her head and face. It seemed that her hands and legs were also broken. She was raped and murdered,” the father added.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Nandgram circle Priyashri Pal said in an official statement, “Information was received at the Nandgram police station around 1am on Saturday that the body of a seven-year-old girl was recovered from an under-construction mall in Raj Nagar Extension. Senior officials inspected the crime scene, and a forensic team was also called in. Several persons have been picked up for questioning. A complaint has been received from the family. An investigation is on.”
“An autopsy will reveal more findings. An investigation is underway,” the ACP added.
Senior police officers reached the spot after being informed, and teams also collected evidence for forensic examination from the crime scene. “The suspects hit her head with an iron rod,” a police officer, requesting anonymity, said.
“We are investigating it as a case of rape and murder, and at present we cannot say if it is a case of gang rape. An investigation is on in the case, and an FIR is registered. The body of the girl was found in the basement portion of the under-construction mall,” deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Dhawal Jaiswal told HT.
A case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections pertaining to gang rape, kidnapping, murder, common intention, and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act was registered at the police station.
