3-yr-old raped, murdered; violent protests follow

Aneesha Sareen

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 11

A three-year-old girl was raped and murdered and her body dumped in the wooded area near Colony Number 4 in the city late last night.

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The victim, who was to turn four in June this year, was last seen at 9 pm by her father at their house, playing with a man he thought was a guest. 

"In no time, she disappeared with the man. We then began to look for her and informed the police," he said.

The victim’s limp, nude body was found dumped in the woods at 6 am. There were grievous injuries on her private parts, with blood spattered on her genitals, but no other wounds, suggesting that she had died of the injuries suffered in a sexual assault, police said.

The incident, meanwhile, let to violent protests, with furious residents blaming the victim’s death on police’s delay in taking action.

Protesters pelted stones at the police, when the latter came to collect the victim’s body at 12.30pm. The mob then went on a rampage on the streets near Elante Mall and damaged several vehicles, including the official vehicle of UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill. 

Police the resorted to firing tear gas shells and cane-charging to control the mob. The resident leading the agitation is also believed to have been assaulted by cops.

Offences under sections pertaining rape and murder in the Indian Penal Code have been registered.