In a tragic turn of events, police have recovered body of a five-year-old girl, who was reported missing from her home since two days, from a water tank at a neighbour’s house in the State capital, on Thursday. The girl was reported missing from her home in Vajapai Nagar Multi in Shahjahanabad on Tuesday. According to the family, the child’s parents were not at home when she disappeared. She was with her grandmother. During interrogation, child’s grandmother said that the girl on Tuesday had gone to fetch a book from her friend’s house but did not return. Police during investigation recovered the body from a water tank from her neighbour’s house. Police have sent the body for post-mortem at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and the reports are awaited. Notably, to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in the hospital premises, the Police Department have deployed heavy police force at AIIMS. Police have arrested suspects in the case and will interrogate them.

 

Situation at Shahjahanabad became tensed after the girl’s body was recovered from a water tank as agitated people started protesting and gheraoed Shahjahanabad police station. The protestors demanded speedy investigation into the case and sought death sentence for the accused. The demonstrators alleged that police did not take appropriate action and delayed the investigation. When ‘The Hitavada’ contacted Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3) Shalini Dikshit and asked him about the allegations being levelled against the police of delaying investigation, the Additional DCP said that complete information will be revealed after detailed investigation. Notably, the case of minor girl going missing came to light after her parents filed a complaint at Shahjahanabad police station. They stated that the girl went missing after she stepped out to get a book from a friend’s house. Possibility of rape cannot be denied and police are waiting for post-mortem report. Acting on the complaint, police during investigation scrutinised CCTV footage of cameras installed in the vicinity of her residence. In the camera footage, the minor was seen leaving home to collect book after which she went missing. 

 

 

Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra stated that a Special investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe into the matter. “We had recommended to form an SIT that will investigate the matter. The accused was planning to dispose the body somewhere outside the multi premises but due to deployment of police force he failed to do so. The accused then decided to dispose it off inside a water tank,” the Commissioner said. Over the question of allegations being levelled against the police for delaying the investigation, the Commissioner said that multi-storey building has thousands of houses. Every house was searched by the police. There were CCTV camera installed within its premises. Furthermore, the accused seems to have friendly relations with the deceased girl’s family,” he said.