Ghaziabad: A man allegedly raped his four-year-old niece before strangling her to death and dumping her body under a car in Shalimar Garden area, police said on Sunday. The accused, identified as the victim’s maternal uncle, fled the scene after the crime that occured on Saturday evening. Three police teams have been formed to trace and arrest him.
The horror unfolded in Tila Mod Police Station area, where the child lived in a colony with her family. According to her father, a daily wager, the accused lured the girl to his rented room around noon on Saturday.
He committed the heinous act, strangled her, and carried her body about a kilometre away to 80 Feet Road in Shalimar Garden, abandoning it under a parked car around 8 pm, the family alleged.
ACP Shalimar Garden Atul Kumar Singh said the body was discovered with strangulation marks on the neck. “CCTV footage from around 15 cameras showed a man carrying the child on his shoulder. This led us to Tila Mod, where the family identified her and the suspect,” he added. A case was registered based on the father’s complaint.
The accused, who is married with a son, had moved to Loni from his in-laws’ place about 20 days ago following a domestic dispute. He was renting a room a kilometre from the victim’s home, arranged by his younger brother, and frequently visited the family. Known to be an alcoholic, he had cut ties with his own family, police said. He smashed his phone amid the marital row, hampering location tracking.The victim’s family is devastated. Her paternal uncle said the child’s grandfather is visually impaired and has five sons, all living separately.
The girl had an elder brother (8) who attends school; she often expressed a desire to join him. “Someone who preys on his own niece doesn’t deserve to live in society. Police should encounter him within 24 hours,” the uncle demanded.
Locals have appealed to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for justice and stringent action. ACP Singh assured, “The accused will be arrested soon.”