A 24-year-old man has been arrested in Odisha's Sundergarh district for the alleged rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl whose body was found hidden in a forest quarry. The accused, identified as Michael Kindo, reportedly confessed to the crime after being taken into custody.
The incident occurred in Dudhi village, under the Maldihi Panchayat. The victim, a second-grade student, had been staying at her uncle's house while her father worked in another state.
The child went missing on March 9 while playing near her home. Her family and neighbours began an extensive search but were unable to find her. On March 10, her uncle filed a missing person complaint at the Rajgangpur Police Station.
During the investigation, officials grew suspicious of a local villager named Michael Kindo, 24. While police and sniffer dog teams searched the area, Kindo attempted to flee but was arrested.
During questioning, Kindo confessed to luring the girl away, raping her, and then strangling her to death. He told police he hid the body inside a stone quarry in the forest, about four kilometres away.
Based on this confession, a police team led by Sundargarh SP Amritpal Kaur rushed to the location. The child's body was recovered from beneath a stone. It has been sent for a post-mortem examination to confirm the cause of death before being handed over to the family.
Anil Kumar Samal, Additional IIC of Rajgangpur Police Station, told NDTV that the police have arrested the accused and produced him before the court.
(With inputs from Dev Kumar)
