HYDERABAD: “If a security guard himself is involved in such a crime, whom can we trust with our children?” asked Harry Babu, his voice trembling with emotion. The arrest of former security guard Vikram Kumar as the prime accused in the murder of five-year-old Aurelia Fernandes Moses has done little to ease the anguish of her grandfather, family and residents of Villa Orchids in Kowkoor.
The accused, a native of Nalanda district in Bihar, had worked as a security guard at Villa Orchids from September 22 to October 6.
Addressing the media on Monday, Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi said Vikram entered the residential complex at 6.40 pm on Saturday, posing as a worker involved in the Bathukamma arrangements at the gated community. He allegedly found Aurelia playing in the games zone near the clubhouse, where she usually cycled between 6 pm and 7 pm before returning home.
According to Sumathi, Vikram entered the complex intending to abduct the girl and demand `20 lakh from her parents. He took her to the cellar, a secluded, dark area without CCTV cameras. Realising that he might find it difficult to control the child during the kidnapping and ransom attempt, he decided to kill her, the police commissioner said.
“He then concealed the girl’s body in an unused water sump in the cellar to avoid detection,” she said. Vikram allegedly strangled the child, tied her hands and legs to a stone and dumped her body in the sump.
After leaving the premises, Vikram reached Secunderabad and attempted to contact Aurelia’s father, Milton Fernandes Moses (44), a research scientist, to demand ransom. When Moses did not answer, Vikram contacted the girl’s grandfather.
When Moses returned home at 7.45 pm, his father told him that an unidentified person had called, claiming to have the child in his custody. The caller later contacted Moses and allegedly demanded `20 lakh for her release, claiming to be in Secunderabad.
Sumathi said Vikram made the ransom calls using a SIM card belonging to another security guard who was still working at the complex and shared a room with him. He had obtained the phone number from a register he could access while working as a security guard, she said.
Following a complaint lodged by Aurelia’s father on October 10, the Bollaram police registered a case under Section 140(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched a search operation. Ten special teams, comprising personnel from the Malkajgiri Zone, Special Operations Team, Crimes and Special Branch, were formed to trace the child.
“The police examined 130 CCTV footage recordings in four hours but were unable to trace the girl. In one of the recordings, the accused was seen leaving the premises without the girl, which led the police to believe that she was still inside the gated community,” Sumathi said.
Aurelia’s body was subsequently found in a water sump in the clubhouse cellar. Scientific and forensic investigations were initiated.
Before focusing on Vikram, the police examined 11 other suspects. Investigators scrutinised his employment and residential details, as well as his association with his roommates. Vikram allegedly confessed to the murder during interrogation, the police said.
Sumathi said the investigation had not established any other specific motive. Cases were also registered against the security agency and the guard who allegedly provided Vikram with the SIM card on charges of negligence, she added.
For Villa Orchids residents, the alleged involvement of a former security guard has shaken their sense of safety. Gated communities are often chosen by families in the hope of providing children with a secure environment. Residents called for stricter verification of security personnel and greater accountability from agencies responsible for deploying them.
On Monday, residents joined Aurelia’s family in protesting outside the Malkajgiri Police Commissioner’s camp office, demanding the death penalty for Vikram and a thorough investigation into the possibility of others being involved.
Holding placards bearing the girl’s photographs, they raised slogans seeking justice for the child. The protest took place as the police briefed the media about the case, with a large number of police personnel deployed outside the camp office.
The protesters alleged that they were being prevented from entering the premises to meet senior officers and submit a representation. They also questioned the security arrangements at the complex and alleged negligence by the agencies responsible for deploying security personnel. They called for stricter background checks and greater accountability.
Denny Joseph, Aurelia’s uncle, alleged that at least two other persons had helped Vikram enter the gated community and escape. Questioning how the accused could have accessed the premises without assistance, he demanded that the police investigate the alleged involvement of others.
The police, however, maintained that Vikram was the sole accused, stating that he had used SIM cards belonging to other security guards. The protesters urged investigators to examine their allegations thoroughly before ruling out the involvement of others.
Aurelia’s grandmother, Victoria, said she had been unable to sleep or eat properly since the incident and appealed to the police to ensure justice for her granddaughter.
“We want immediate action and a punishment that deters anyone from committing such a crime again. No parent should have to go through what the child’s family is experiencing,” she said. Victoria also demanded that the case be tried in a fast-track court to ensure speedy justice.
Police personnel tried to pacify the protesters, assuring them that the department would support Aurelia’s parents and take up their demand for a fast-track court. The protest ended after Sumathi and other senior officials met the girl’s parents and assured them of a speedy trial.
Meanwhile, Sumathi urged resident welfare associations and apartment communities to strengthen background checks on domestic workers, security personnel and other staff. She called on residents to participate in the Mee Suraksha domestic helpers verification initiative and the Nenu Saitham 2.0 CCTV surveillance programme.
