KOLLAM: A seven-year-old girl who went missing on her way to school at Yeroor was found dead in RPL’s farm at Aishakunnu, near Kulathupuzha, here on Thursday.Preliminary probe by the police reveals the girl was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The girl’s uncle, 26-year-old Rajesh who accompanied her to school, was taken into custody in connection with the incident.“Locals alerted us that a girl’s body was lying on an iron stand meant to keep the rubber saplings. We identified the girl to be the one who went missing from Yeroor on Wednesday morning,” said a police officer with the Kulathupuzha station.
On Wednesday the student of Yeroor Government LPS was first accompanied by her grandmother to school. According to local accounts, in the midst of the journey Rajesh is said to have approached the grandmother and persuaded her that he would take the girl to school.
After that, he brought the girl to the farm and sexually assaulted her.The Yeroor police launched a search for the girl and Rajesh following a complaint by the girl’s mother.
“He was apprehended by the locals from Kulathupuzha. While questioning he divulged he had raped the girl and strangled her to death. After that he again raped her. We will record his arrest soon,” said the Kulathupuzha police officer.Meanwhile, Anchal CI Abhilash, who is investigating the case, said more details could be divulged only after receiving the post mortem report.According to the police, Rajesh is not legally married to the girl’s mother’s sister and also had a vehicle theft case against him at Kulathupuzha station limits.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights which took a suo motu case in the incident has directed the Kollam Rural SP and District Child Protection Unit Officer to submit a report within 15 days. Kerala State Women’s Commission chairperson M C Josephine visited the girl’s home.