Mumbai: Chaos derails attempt to bury girl’s body

Police at the crime scene in Vasai. Pic/Hanif Patel

The teenaged killer and his father had planned to bury the minor girl's body inside the same room where her decomposed body was discovered in Vasai. However, the chaos of the search for the missing girl in the neighbourhood disrupted their plans. They gave up digging and joined the search operation for the girl.

The eight-year-old girl's decomposed body was found in a room adjacent to her brother's. The killer, still at large, hasn't been arrested, but his father has confessed to the crime. The police found the girl's slippers at the killer's house.

The crime scene was a room in a row house, the girl's body was discovered in room number 5. Her brother had rented the next room number 6. The killer and his father attempted to bury the body in another vacant room but abandoned the plan due to the chaos in the area's search for the missing girl.

The girl went missing on December 1; her decomposed body was discovered on December 4. The police detained the killer's parents suspecting the sudden disappearance of the boy. The parents eventually confessed on December 5 after initial denial. The killer's father claims ignorance about the reason behind the murder.

"The killer's father revealed the suspect killed the girl in their room. He then helped dispose of the body in another vacant room," said an officer involved in the investigation. The killer's current whereabouts are unknown, and efforts to locate him, including visiting his hometown in Jalna, are ongoing.

The Pelhar police have registered the case under relevant sections including kidnapping, murder, and evidence tampering. The killer has not carried a cell phone with him so tracking him down has become challenging for the police.

The deceased's father mentioned that the killer had assisted in the search and asked if anyone was suspected. "The killer kept asking me, ‘Uncle, apko kisi pe shak hai kya?' I would reply that if I had doubts about anyone, I would have informed the police immediately," said the deceased's father, who runs a garage in Vasai East.

"Since we had been searching for my sister, our relatives and friends had gathered on December 4. So, the well-wishers sat outside room number 5 when a foul smell started to emanate. Room number 5 was empty; it was not locked, but its gate was shut. When I opened it, I found a nylon bag with my sister's decomposed body stuffed inside. We informed the police, ," said the girl's brother.

The father added, "We had been searching for her everywhere and had also posted many flyers. Although I tried to enter room number 5, the killer and her parents would always prevent me from entering."

The police suspect a potential act of revenge as an argument between the girl's relatives and the killer's family occurred days earlier.

The investigation revealed the killer's connection to a yellow belt, similar to one used to tie the victim's legs. The deceased hailed from Bihar, while the killer's family is from Jalna. The police are searching for the killer in Jalna.

The post-mortem report indicated multiple bruises on the body. Though the cops are unsure about sexual abuse, her viscera has been preserved for further examination. The injuries suggest the possibility of a forceful impact causing her demise.

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Age of the girl