A huge crowd gathered at the spot and protested angrily.
Highlights
- Girl, 6, found dead in her uniform half a km from school in Tonk district
- Liquor bottles, snacks, bloodstains were also found, the police said
- The girl went missing after sports competition at school on Saturday
A six-year-old schoolgirl who went missing on Saturday in Rajasthan's Tonk district, was found dead in her uniform, allegedly raped and strangled with her school belt, police said on Sunday.
Her body was lying near bushes in a remote area near her village Khetadi. Liquor bottles, snacks and bloodstains were also found at the spot, police officials said.
According to the police, there was a sports competition at the girl's school on Saturday and she went missing after that.
Her family started searching for her when she did not reach home by 3 pm. They searched farms and relatives' homes for hours. On Sunday morning her blood-stained body was found half a km from her school.
A huge crowd gathered at the spot and protested angrily, as police and forensic teams investigated the child's killing. The body of the girl was taken elsewhere for a post-mortem as the village did not have the facility.
Superintendent of Police Adarsh Sidhu said initial investigations pointed at rape and murder. "We are investigating the case to trace the accused. We have formed special teams," he added.
A 40-year-old man has been detained for interrogation in the rape and murder case. Mahendra is being probed as a suspect, senior police officer Ram Krishan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday that the accused will not be spared. "The rape and murder of the minor girl is highly condemnable and shameful. The accused of the heinous crime will not be spared," Mr Gehlot said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)