- A seven-year-old girl was found dead in the basement of an under construction mall in Ghaziabad
- The body showed severe head injury and multiple fractures, the family said
- Several suspects have been detained and are under police questioning
A seven-year-old girl was found dead in the basement of an under-construction mall in Ghaziabad on Saturday, triggering shock and anger among locals.
The girl's body was recovered during early hours on Saturday. Police have registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the family.
Several suspects have been taken into custody and are being questioned.
The incident happened in Raj Nagar Extension area under Nandgram police station limits.
According to the victim's family, the girl's body was found with a severe head injury and multiple fractures. Her body was recovered from the basement of the building.
Police suspect she may have been thrown from the third floor of the under-construction structure. However, the exact sequence of events is yet to be established and remains under investigation.
The girl's maternal uncle said the child had been missing since Friday evening and the family had been searching for her. He also alleged that the girl may have been sexually assaulted. Police, however, have not confirmed any sexual assault.
Authorities are awaiting the post-mortem and forensic reports.
The victim's parents work as labourers at the same construction site and live in a makeshift shelter on the premises.
News of the child's death sparked outrage among local residents, with some attempting to assault a security guard deployed at the site. Additional police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.
Speaking to NDTV, DCP Rural Surendra Nath Tiwari said, "We received information around 1:00 am on July 11 that the body of a young girl was lying inside the under-construction mall. A police team from Nandgram Police Station immediately reached the spot. Senior officers also visited the crime scene to supervise the investigation. An FSL team examined the site and collected forensic evidence."
ACP Nandgram Priyashree Pal said police responded immediately after receiving information. She confirmed that forensic evidence had been collected, an FIR was registered based on the family's complaint, and several suspects were in custody for questioning.
The investigation is ongoing as police await forensic and post-mortem reports to establish the exact circumstances of the girl's death.
