A gruesome incident took place in Puducherry’s Solai Nagar where a nine-year-old girl was abducted, raped, murdered, and thrown into the drain. Police have arrested two accused in the case.
“The accused kidnapped a girl studying in class five and raped and murdered her. Also, they tied the girl’s hands and feet and threw them in the drain near the girl’s house,” police sources said.
Protests broke out in the area on Wednesday following the gruesome incident. India Alliance and AIADMK have called for Solai bandh on Friday.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy met the girl’s parents and announced a compensation of ₹20 lakh to the family.
Police on Wednesday arrested two accused, Vivekanandan (56) and Karunas (19) of Mutyalpet. A case has been registered under IPC sections, POCSO Act, and SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act under the charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder of the girl.
Those involved in the heinous crime are said to be drug addicts and traffickers. The ‘India’ alliance parties including the DMK and Congress and the AIADMK have called for a bandh on Friday to protest against the growing menace of drugs in the union territory. They demanded that the government should take strict action to eradicate the sale of drugs and banned substances.
A group of women blocked the Chief Minister’s car in front of Puducherry Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday. Some activists protested on Beach Road.
“Investigation is on to find out whether more people are involved in this act. Complete information about the cause of death will be available after the post-mortem report,” said Home Minister A Namasashivayam in a press conference.
Although it could not be confirmed that the accused were involved in drug peddling, Namassivayam said strict action would be taken to end the drug menace in the area.
Puducherry Administrator Dr. Tamilsai Soundararajan visited the girl’s house and offered condolences. “Strong action will be taken to provide speedy justice to those involved in the crime,” he assured.
Responding to the demands that criminals should be given the death penalty, he said, “The law cannot be taken into our hands. But, I am with the victim’s family. Measures to prevent drug trafficking will be intensified. Some drug addicts have been arrested in Tamil Nadu. There are reports that some of his associates are in Puducherry. They will also be arrested soon,” he said.
“A special investigation team has been formed to investigate the case,” he said.
School sources said that the school where the girl was studying has declared a holiday on Wednesday to condole the death of the student.
The girl, studying class five in a government school in Mutyalpet, went missing on the evening of March 2.
Her parents immediately complained to the police and searched many places. However, after receiving information about a sack floating in the drain near the girl’s house, the police rushed to the spot and when they checked, her dead body was found. The lovers tied the girl’s hands and feet with a rope put them in a sack and threw them in the drain.
