Mumbai: Minor girl murdered in Mulund, cops suspect sexual assault

An 11-year-old girl was found murdered in Mulund (East) on Saturday night. The police suspect that she may have been sexually assaulted

An 11-year-old girl was found murdered in Mulund (East) on Saturday night.

The police suspect that she may have been sexually assaulted but are waiting for post-mortem reports.

According to the police, the girl’s father had sent her out to purchase ‘mawa’, a carcinogenic substance, at around 8pm. The girl did not return for a long time, after which the family members started to look for her. The girl’s body was found dumped beneath a container on a highway at around 10.45pm. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

The police reached the spot after which the body was sent for post-mortem.

“The girl’s parents had put up a shanty on a footpath in Mulund around a fortnight back. They had come to the city to eke out a living and would do odd jobs such as collecting scrap,” said an officer privy to the investigation. “We are awaiting detailed medical reports to check for sexual assault,” he added.

Police sources said that they were waiting for the post-mortem reports to ascertain sexual abuse. They have scanned the CCTV cameras and investigated several truckers as many trucks are parked at the place. “We have detained one suspect and are currently questioning him,” said the officer.

The police are also looking out for any witnesses in this regard. “The girl was gagged to death,” said the officer. Sources stated that she may have been raped following which the accused killed her to avoid being caught. Her parents live on footpaths and have two younger sons. Police are also investigating if the incident is a fallout of any personal rivalry and are questioning a few suspects in this regard. The police have formed multiple teams to probe the case.