3-Year-Old Found Dead Near Chennai, Mouth Stuffed With Cloth

Chennai: A three-year-old girl was found dead near Chennai on Sunday, her mouth stuffed with cloth rags, a day after she went missing while playing near her home in a colony for the tsunami-affected. Her body was found in a dump yard.

The police suspect a woman in her neighbourhood killed her for jewellery. She was arrested. Investigators say she was in desperate need of money and had pledged the jewellery.

The child was playing with her older brother when she disappeared. Her mother, in bed at home because of fever, realised hours later that she was missing and went to the police.

Days after a seven-year-old child was raped and murdered by her upstairs neighbour - an IT professional - the latest incident has led to more anger against the police, who have been seen to be preoccupied with security for politicians and ministers in the middle of a power tussle.

"There's no environment of safety for children. The funds allotted for awareness campaigns have not been spent in Tamil Nadu. The police have time only for VIPs and politicians," said Padam Narayanan, child rights activist.

Exactly a week ago, a Class 3 student was sexually assaulted, suffocated, burnt and dumped in a bag on the highway, allegedly by a neighbour who works with a software company.

The girl suffocated when the accused man, Dhashyant, allegedly stuffed her mouth with a cloth to stop her screaming. The police say his phone had many child pornography clips.

Activists say policing in the city suffered because of the security details for politicians and protesters over the past few weeks.