Ghaziabad Girl, 4, Lured with Chocolate, Raped and Bludgeoned to Death by Neighbor
A horrific crime has shaken the community in Ghaziabad, where a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped and brutally murdered by a neighbor. The accused, a 24-year-old factory laborer, lured the child away with the promise of chocolate before committing the heinous act. Her body was discovered in bushes approximately 500 meters from her home, sparking outrage and protests among villagers.
Details of the Crime and Police Response
According to police reports, the incident unfolded when the girl was playing outside her house around 6 pm. The accused, who resides in the same locality, approached her and offered to buy her chocolate, leading her away from her family. When her father, a daily wager, returned from work at 7 pm, he found his daughter missing. After learning from other children that the neighbor had taken her, he initiated a frantic search with relatives and neighbors.
At approximately 8:45 pm, the search party located the accused in an isolated farm area. When questioned about the girl's whereabouts, he cryptically directed them to proceed further, where they found the child critically injured and bleeding profusely from head wounds. Police were immediately alerted via a Dial 112 call, and the girl was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.
DCP (City) Dhawal Jaiswal stated that the body was sent for autopsy, and the accused was detained within hours. Five police teams were swiftly formed, leading to his arrest near his residence. The accused lives with his father, brother, and sister-in-law, adding to the shock within the close-knit community.
Autopsy Findings and Legal Actions
The autopsy revealed a gruesome pattern of violence, with 11 injury marks on the child's body. These included three blows to the head inflicted with a brick or stone, signs of strangulation and smothering, bite marks, and injuries to her private parts. Nandgram SHO Umesh Kumar reported that during interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime, claiming he killed the girl to conceal his actions.
An FIR has been registered under BNS sections 103 (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence or providing false information to screen offenders). Police have confirmed that provisions of the Pocso Act and the SC/ST Act will also be invoked, ensuring stringent legal measures against the perpetrator.
Family Background and Community Outcry
The girl's family, grappling with immense tragedy, includes her father and two older brothers aged 12 and 10. Her mother has not lived with the family since 2022, when the child was just six months old. The father described how his eldest son often cared for the younger siblings and even cooked meals while he was at work, highlighting the family's struggles.
In response to the crime, villagers staged a protest outside the Nandgram police station, demanding the harshest possible punishment for the accused. The incident has underscored urgent concerns about child safety and law enforcement responsiveness in the region.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by children and the critical need for community vigilance and robust legal frameworks to protect them from such atrocities.
