The girl's parents work in an industrial unit in the Shiroli MIDC area, the police said
The body of a 10-year-old girl was found in a sugarcane field in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district. The girl left her house yesterday evening after she had a fight with her uncle over her excessive phone usage, police was quoted by news agency PTI. The girl's uncle has been arrested for her alleged rape-murder, police said.
When she did not return home for a long time, her parents launched a frantic search. Later on, the minor's body was found in the field by locals just 800 metres away from her home in Shiye village under Karvir taluka.
Upon receiving the information, police and a medical team arrived at the spot. Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination and further probe is underway.
"It has been established her uncle sexually assaulted the girl and then strangled her. The accused has confessed during interrogation," a police official told news PTI.
"Our probe has found he lied to girl's mother when she inquired about the child's absence on Wednesday evening. He told her the girl had left the house in anger after he scolded her. The accused had left home before the deceased girl's father arrived on Wednesday night and came back only this morning," the official said.
The girl's parents work in an industrial unit in the Shiroli MIDC area, the police said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the culprits will face strict action and the state government will provide all possible help to the girl's family.
"The girl's family is from Bihar. As per primary information, her uncle beat her up on Wednesday afternoon and she left home. A local police station received a complaint at around 10 pm on Wednesday that the girl was missing. Her body was found this morning and the police suspect sexual assault on the girl. The police have detained some suspects and an investigation was on," Mr Fadnavis said.
"We will go to the bottom of this case and the perpetrators will face strict action. We will provide all possible help to the family," he added.
The incident comes days after two kindergarten students were sexually abused by a male attendant last week at a school in Thane. It sparked massive protests in Badlapur town as angry parents, local residents and others blocked railway tracks and ransacked the school.
A 23-year-old school janitor was arrested in the Badlapur case. Public outrage was also been fuelled by the parents having to wait 11 hours to file a police case; three cops involved have been suspended.