A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by her distant relative in a village in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, according to local police. The accused, identified as 24-year-old Nagaraju, is reportedly the victim's maternal uncle, said Tirupati district Superintendent of Police (SP) L Subbarayudu on Saturday.
SP Subbarayudu detailed that Nagaraju, who lives near the woman’s home and frequently interacted with her, reportedly lured her to a secluded area in AM Puram village on Friday evening. According to officials, he enticed her with snacks before committing the crime.
"Nagaraju lives near the girl's house and used to play with her everyday. Yesterday (Friday) evening he took her to a shop and bought some snacks. Later, he took her away from her house and sexually assaulted and killed her," SP Subbarayudu said, as per a report on PTI.
When her parents realized she was missing, they began searching and soon discovered that she was last seen with Nagaraju, he explained. After the parents reported her disappearance, police filed a missing person case and detained Nagaraju for questioning. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime, officials said.
Police conducted a search with Nagaraju, eventually locating the victim’s body near a government school around 9 PM on Friday. Authorities have booked Nagaraju under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and additional charges.
The Tirupati police have stated they will pursue a fast-track court trial to expedite justice for the victim. He said that they would seek a fast-track court for speedy trail of the case.