Arrest Made in Disturbing Case

Berhampur: On Saturday evening, law enforcement apprehended a 27-year-old man in connection with the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in the Ganjam district of Odisha.

According to officials, the suspect is a distant relative of the victim.

The child had been reported missing since Friday evening during a local festival. Her body was later discovered within the jurisdiction of the Pattapur police station.

The girl had accompanied her mother to her uncle's home for the festivities. She disappeared while playing on the porch of the house. A report was filed at the Pattapur police station regarding her disappearance. The accused allegedly enticed the girl with promises of chocolate and a trip to the festival, leading her to a secluded area where he attempted to assault her. He subsequently strangled her and disposed of her body. Authorities noted that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time, as stated by Ganjam SP Subhendu Kumar Patra.

Villagers later located her body in an unfinished structure of the Anganwadi center and alerted the police. A team quickly arrived at the scene to recover the remains.

The victim's family expressed concerns that she may have been assaulted and murdered by unknown individuals.

Senior police officials, including the SP, visited the site, and a scientific investigation team along with a dog squad was deployed to aid in the inquiry.

The body was sent to MKCG Medical College for a post-mortem examination, with the precise cause of death pending the autopsy results, according to police.

Following the investigation, the suspect was arrested on charges of rape and murder.