Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Girl's death remains a mystery

Marri Ramu

It was around 9 a.m. on September 15, 2003, when Radha, a maid, noticed that her two-and-half- year-old daughter, Devika, was missing. Her husband, Mallesham, a watchman at Tirumala Arcade in Poosalabasthi of Dilsukhnagar, lodged a complaint with the Saidabad police after searching the locality in vain for the girl.

Even as the police registered a "missing" case and began preliminary investigation, they received a message that the girl was found killed in the bathroom of a dilapidated building near Tirumala Arcade. Clad in a short and a frock, the body was lying on its back. Froth was noticed at the mouth. There were absolutely no external injuries and strangulation marks on the body. A small abrasion of .25 cm x .20 cm found on the private parts gave rise to the suspicion that the culprits might have attempted to molest the victim.

Statement of the girl's parents that her two silver anklets were missing suggested that it could be a murder for gain. The case was shrouded in mystery, as the motive of the murder was not established.

A businessman, Madhusudhan Reddy, recently bought the old building. A fish trader, Mohd. Lateef, took it on rent to use it as stock point. While transporting fish from Nagarjunasagar to the city, they used it as transit point.

One of Lateef's workers, Satish (26), who first noticed the body, pleaded ignorance about the incident. Inquiries with the locals revealed that the girl was last seen walking towards the building's entrance around 9 a.m. Satish stated that he entered the building around 10 a.m., went out a couple of times to buy groceries and saw the body around 1.30 p.m. when he opened the toilet. After inquiring a large number of locals, the police arrived at the conclusion that murder took place between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. However, Satish said nothing suspicious came to his notice during his three hours stay in the house.

The version of some children that they saw Devika sitting on a bicycle with 10-year-old twins -- Ram and Laxman (sons of a transport worker) -- only compounded the mystery. The needle of suspicion pointed towards them as inquiries revealed that the twins left for their village in Mahabubnagar after the murder took place. However, in the absence of a clear report on the cause of death and confirmation of the sexual assault the police could not zero in on the accused.

The police ruled out the possibility of outsiders kidnapping and killing the girl. They strongly believe that the offenders belonged to the same area. Though the girl's parents pointed out at the missing silver anklets, the cops were expressing doubts over the possibility of the girl being killed for a couple of anklets worth just Rs. 100. The police hope to crack the case once forensic experts confirm the cause of death and narrow down on the culprits by checking the antecedents of every suspect.

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