Chennai: With the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Pudukottai district sending shock waves across Tamilnadu, the police have arrested her neighbour for the heinous crime.
The arrested has been identified as 25-year-old M Raja, who lives in the same area as the girl who was a class two student. According to Superintendent of Police, Pudukottai, P Ve Arun Sakthikumar, Raja had taken the girl to a secluded spot and raped her. As the girl began to scream, he hit her on the head with a wooden log, killing her, and left the spot.
Following the arrest, police have altered the case under IPC Sections, including 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 376 (rape) and 302 (murder) read with Sections 5 (m), 5 (j) (iv) read with 6 (1) of the POCSO Act and Section 3 (2) (v) of the SC/ST Act.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in Delhi has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident, and has sought a detailed report into the incident from authorities.
The child went missing on 30 June evening and after unsuccessful searches, her family lodged a police complaint the next day. Police, after a search, spotted her body in a deserted location near her village.