The three minor boys allegedly gang-raped the girl and then pushed her into the Mucchumarri Lift Irrigation Canal in Nandyal district.
Published Jul 13, 2024 | 5:01 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 13, 2024 | 5:01 PM
Sexual assault. Representational Image. (iStock)
Andhra Pradesh police are searching for the body of the eight-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and pushed into a canal in Nandyal by three minor boys, said an official on Saturday, 13 July.
The incident came to light when the child’s father reported her missing after she failed to return home, after playing near Machumarri park on last Sunday, 30 June.
The three boys allegedly gang-raped the girl and then pushed her into the Mucchumarri Lift Irrigation Canal in Nandyal district.
“We are yet to trace the girl’s body. We are still searching. One National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are searching as well,” the official told PTI.
According to police, up to 70 NDRF and SDRF personnel are searching for the girl’s body.
Besides the NDRF and SDRF teams, five police investigation teams have also been deployed to crack the case.
On Tuesday, 9 July, with the help of sniffer dogs, they observed suspicious behaviour from three minor boys in the village.
Upon investigation, subsequently, one of the boys confessed to the crime, prompting the arrest of the others. The boys aged between 12 and 13 years, admitted to taking the girl to a pump house on the village outskirts, where they assaulted and ultimately killed her out of fear of retribution.
They disposed of her body in the River Krishna’s backwaters the same day.
A senior official observed that though the minor boys have “confessed” to raping the girl, it is important to find the body and scientifically prove the offence.
“They have confessed, and we have the confession statement also. If the body is found then the prosecution side will get a conviction easily. That is a major thing,” the official said.
Police are also tapping technical data to check if anybody else is involved in the crime.
(With PTI inputs)
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