9-year-old girl strangled, her body set on fire by 16-year-old neighbour in Gurugram society

Gurugram, July 1

A 16-year-old boy allegedly strangled his 9-year-old neighbour and set her body on fire after she caught him stealing jewellery from her flat at a housing society here on Monday, police said.

The families of the victim and the accused, both stay in two separate towers of Signature Global Solera in Sector 107, and were on good terms, they said.

The mother of the girl was at the accused’s house when he allegedly carried out the act around 11 am, police said.

The accused, who has been apprehended by the police, initially tried to claim that two thieves had entered the house and killed the girl but later confessed to the murder, police said.

He said that he was stealing the jewellery to repay a loan of Rs 20,000, according to the police.

The accused told police that he did not want to kill her but when the girl refused to be quiet, he strangled her as he was afraid of getting caught, a senior investigating officer (IO) said.

Police said an FIR has been registered on the matter at the Rajendra Park police station.

The officer said the boy allegedly strangled her and then set her body on fire using camphor from the home temple.

“An FIR has been registered and the accused has been apprehended. We are questioning him further,” said Karan Goel, DCP (west). Police are also questioning some friends of the boy, he said.