BHOPAL: A 4-year-old kindergarten student missing since Thursday from Dwarikapuri area of Indore was found murdered inside a nullah eight km away in MG Road area of the same city on Saturday. A subsequent probe revealed that the minor was raped before being smothered by a 22-year-old man, who worked as a sweeper under her labour contractor father.
Shockingly, the accused Honey Athwal, on whose arrest a bounty of Rs 20,000 has been declared is a habitual offender, who had raped his 6-year-old niece before strangulating her and dumping the body in a water tank in Malhargarh area of native Mandsaur district eight years back.
The 4-year-old girl, a resident of Dwarikapuri area had gone missing since Thursday evening, while she had gone for private tuitions in a nearby locality. Subsequent investigations based on CCTV footage retrieved from near house revealed that she had been abducted by 22-year-old Honey Athwal, who worked as a sweeper in the team of the girl's father, who was contractor of labourers.
The girl's body was found dumped in a nullah under the Krishnapura bridge in MG Road area, around eight km from her home on Saturday.
Close examination of the body revealed injuries in her private parts and the subsequent autopsy of the body also confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted before being smothered. According to deputy inspector general of police (DIG-Indore) HN Chari Mishra, Rs 20,000 reward has been declared for arresting the absconding accused, who has been booked for abduction, rape and murder.
Importantly, five years back, the accused Honey Athwal (then aged 17) had raped and killed his 6-year-old niece in native Mandsaur district. After raping and killing niece, he had dumped the body in a water tank in his house and slept on the water tank to ensure that no one could trace the body.He, was later arrested, but escaped stern punishment for being a minor.