Darbhanga: A 22-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping and murdering a six-year-old neighbour in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, police said on Sunday.
The girl’s family found her body near a pond on the outskirts of the locality.
“The body of the minor has been recovered and sent to Darbhanga Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. The case is being investigated from all angles,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jagunath Raddi said on Sunday morning.
The child went missing on Saturday evening. She was last seen playing near her home with two other minor girls. “Her family searched for her throughout the evening. Late at night, they grew suspicious after hearing dogs barking near a pond,” the officer said.
A police team reached the location after receiving information. Teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the cyber cell were called in to assist the investigation.
“Police investigation, including statements from the other two minor girls who were playing in the area, led to the identification and arrest of the 22-year-old suspect from the neighbourhood,” the SSP said.
The incident sparked widespread public outrage and protests in the area on Sunday morning.
{{/usCountry}}The incident sparked widespread public outrage and protests in the area on Sunday morning.
{{/usCountry}}The protest soon turned violent, with the mob setting an auto-rickshaw on fire and pelting stones at the police. Police reportedly resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. Personnel from other police stations were also deployed to bring the situation under control.