Minor brutally murdered on Diwali, organs missing; police chase 2 theories

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has asked police to get to the bottom of the case and find the culprits.

A seven year old girl, missing since Saturday evening, was found brutally murdered 100 yards north of a historical and revered temple in Kanpur’s Ghatampur area early on Sunday morning. Her throat and abdomen were cut wide and many of the organs were said to be missing, said police.

It was being investigated whether the girl was sacrificed for exorcism or killed for some other reason.

DIG Kanpur Dr Preetinder Singh said the angle of human sacrifice and old enmity were being investigated and some persons have been detained in the case.

“Forensics team was on the site, collecting all the evidence; we can’t say anything at this point of time but are investigating it threadbare; sacrifice and old enmity is part of the investigation,” he said.

The victim’s father Karan Kureel had informed the police about his daughter going missing on Saturday night. She was last seen with a local youth who had taken her to buy crackers around 6 pm.

While the villagers claimed the police were indifferent to their complaint, the police said its men were part of the search mounted by the villagers in the night. There were announcements made from the local mosque and the temple to help find her. But the efforts did not yield results and Shreya could not be traced.

This morning around 7 am, her body was found in a field owned by a local farmer Gannu, close to Maa BhadraKali temple. Vermillion had been applied all over her body, particularly her legs. The neck and abdomen were deeply cut and all the important organs were missing, said police. Body has been sent for an autopsy for further leads.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the police should go to the bottom of the case and take stern action against those involved.