A heartwrenching case of rape and murder of a 2-year-old girl has come to the fore from the city of Surat, Gujarat. A man named Yusuf Salim Hazar alias Ismail, a close friend of the girl’s father and who was called “Chacha” by the victim, lured the girl and raped her before choking her to death.
The police reported that Ismail lured the girl from her home by promising to buy her chivda, then took her to a location near an under-construction site. The accused then raped and murdered her. He then dumped the body near a lake.
Ismail was also a close friend of the girl’s father and would often take her out to buy her something to eat.
After the girl had been missing for a significant period, her family attempted to contact Ismail, whom they knew she was with. However, his phone was turned off.
The worried family members informed the police, who arrested Yusuf from the Kapthela checkpost area. The police have also secured CCTV footage of Yusuf and the girl child. The girl’s body was recovered on Tuesday. Reportedly, bite marks were found on the minor’s stomach and private parts.
The accused has been booked for rape and murder under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He has also been booked under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“The accused raped the minor and later killed her. The deceased girl knew the accused since he used to play with her often,” a report by TOI quoted a police officer as saying.
Further investigations are underway.