Missing minor girl found dead

Tirupati: A six-year-old girl, who was studying first standard in the government tribal welfare school, was found dead in a sugarcane field on the outskirts of Kukkalagunta village of Yerpedu mandal near Srikalahasthi on Tuesday. The police arrested Giridhar in connection with the suspected rape and murder of the girl. Tirupati Urban SP SV Rajasekhar, Additional SP Umamaheswara Sarma, Dy SP Srinivasulu and the police officials visited the sugarcane field and recovered the body of Sujatha and sent it to the government hospital for autopsy.

Mani and Rekha of ST Colony of Kukkalagunta village in Yerpedu mandal were on a hunt to trace out their daughter, Sujatha, since Sunday night and took one Giridhar, 23 years, into their captivity on Monday suspecting his role.

Meanwhile, the village heads questioned him about the missing of Sujatha, since he was involved in another rape incident earlier, but no details had come out.

On the request of the parents of Giridhar, the village heads released him. By taking this as an advantage, Giridhar went into hiding. As the parents of Sujatha were continuing search operations, a local girl told them she saw Giridhar interacting with Sujatha on Sunday evening. After her revelations, Mani and Rekha along with neighbours went to the sugarcane field and found the body of Sujatha. As this news came out, the police from Yeredu station arrived at the spot.

The Tirupati Urban SP, Additional SP and Dy SP shifted the body to the government hospital for autopsy. Meanwhile, the news spread to surrounding villages. The people of Sudhagunta village nabbed a person while moving under suspicious manner and informed the police. In turn, the police rushed to the spot and took Giridhar into their custody and interrogated him.

The police came to the conclusion that Giridhar might have committed rape and later murdered the girl. The Yerpedu police filed a case and took up investigation.