A 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Kamakshipalya area of Bengaluru, police said on Wednesday.
The accused knew the deceased’s mother and used to reside at her house, said a police officer privy to the matter.The incident took place when the toddler was alone at home, said the officer. The woman, who worked in a garment factory, was a divorcee and had befriended the man, said police officers.
Confirming the incident, deputy commissioner of police (south) P Krishnakant said, “The crime took place on Monday afternoon, when the victim’s mother had gone out for some work. The accused raped and later killed the child.”
A senior police officer said that the mother found the toddler’s body when she returned home from work. The child was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival, said the officer, adding, the body was sent for medical examination as the girl had wounds on her body.
During this time, the accused was missing from the house, said the police. Later, the police tracked him down and during questioning, he confessed that he raped and killed the child on the spot, said the officer quoted above.
Police added that the accused allegedly killed the girl by hitting her on the head with a blunt weapon as injury marks were found on her head.
“The accused was taken into custody around 7pm on on Tuesday. Initially, he denied sexually abusing the girl but later he confessed to the crime. The medical examination also confirmed the rape,” the DCP said.
“A case has been registered against the accused at Kamakshipalaya police station and he has been booked under Sections 376 (punishment for rape) and 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act,” said the DCP.
The accused’s name has been retained since a case under Pocso has been registered, said an officer.
