PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Haridwar
The body of a four-year old girl reported missing since May 13 was found in a railway tunnel in Haridwar on Friday. The child’s body was found in the railway tunnel near Bhimgoda Kali Mandir. According to the police a local resident had reported that an acquaintance had gone away with his child and after he didn’t return, the family first searched for the girl and then reported to the police after being unable to find her.
The complaint was lodged by a man living in a shanty in the Rodi Belwala area on the evening of May 15. He stated in the complaint that a man named Suraj who had been living in the shanty for the past four to five months had taken her away. The accused works as a rag picker and is reportedly a substance addict who often also travels to Saharanpur. The girl’s father said that when he didn’t find his daughter in the evening when he had his wife returned home, they thought that Suraj must have gone to Saharanpur and taken their daughter along with him.
The girl’s parents initially went to Saharanpur to search for their daughter. However, they were unable to trace either their daughter or Suraj after much effort. They then approached the police. Considering the seriousness of the case involving a child the police sprung into action and started searching for Suraj and the girl. The girl’s body was finally found in the railway tunnel and the police were informed about it.
The forensics team also reached the site and collected traces and evidence. The police are searching for the accused on the basis of photographs provided by the girl’s father. The Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Singh Dobal said that prima facie it appears as if the child had been raped before being murdered. However, the actual facts will be known after the post mortem report is received. The police are searching for the accused booked for kidnapping and murder. The police will aim to ensure that he is awarded the strictest punishment by the court of law, he said.
The police have formed a joint team to trace and nab the accused. In addition to seeking information from locals, the police have shared the photograph of the accused on social media, seeking information about his whereabouts from the public. The SSP said that the accused is bald and sports a beard. He is also known to wear a wig at times to conceal his baldness, Dobal said.
