Child's Death in Andhra Pradesh: Police Investigate Escape and Suicide

Child's Death in Andhra Pradesh: Police Investigate Escape and Suicide.webp

Amaravati, February 18 – The suspect in the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl had escaped from police custody, police said, adding that his body was found in a lake in Annamayya district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

Kulavardhan (30) was found dead in a lake in the village of Kanasanipalli, Kuralabalakota mandal.

District Superintendent of Police K. Dheeraj told the media that the accused had escaped when he was being taken in a police vehicle on Tuesday. The DSP said that the police launched a search for him, and on Wednesday morning, his body was found in the lake in Kanasanipalli village.

The SP said that the preliminary investigation suggests that the accused died by suicide. The police have informed his family.

Locals found the body and alerted the police. The body was taken to the government hospital in Madanapalle town for post-mortem examination.

On Tuesday, the body of a seven-year-old girl was recovered from a drum at Kulavardhan's house.

The child, the daughter of a local handloom worker, had gone missing on Monday. The girl, who was a second-grade student at a school in Madanapalle, was playing near her house as the school was closed due to a holiday.

The parents, who were away on work, started searching for her when they did not find her upon their return in the evening. After being unable to locate her, they filed a complaint with the police.

Kulavardhan, the victim's neighbor, had a criminal record. A police officer went to his house as part of the investigation. The house was locked from the inside, and when there was no response to the knocking, the officer peered through the window and found Kulavardhan asleep.

The officer left the place, but the next morning, when the victim's grandfather told the police that she had last been seen with Kulavardhan, the police entered the house and found the girl's body in the drum.

The police later apprehended Kulavardhan, who was being taken to a police station when he escaped.

The rape and murder of the child sparked outrage, with locals demanding justice for the victim, the daughter of a handloom worker.

Demanding strict action against the accused, locals staged a sit-in on the National Highway, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill for several hours.

Madanapalle MLA Shahjahan Basha expressed deep concern over the incident. The MLA spoke to the victim's parents over the phone and assured them of full support from the government.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen said that the post-mortem examination and preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had raped the girl and then drowned her in a water drum, killing her in a cruel manner.

The police have booked the accused under the charges of rape and murder, along with the POCSO Act.

The accused had a previous case under Section 324, which was settled through a Lok Adalat compromise.

Locals said that he frequently consumed alcohol and behaved indecently with everyone.
 
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amaravati andhra pradesh annamayya district child death criminal record handloom worker kanasanipalli kuralabalakota mandal lok adalat madanapalle murder pocso act police investigation rape suicide
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