Balasore: Seven days after the murder and rape of a minor girl at Hatiaganda under Remuna block in Balasore, police finally laid their hands on the accused.
Police arrested Muna Das alias Sahani, who was absconding ever since the incident. Police said the accused was trying to pass off as a minor in a bid to escape severe punishment. However, police said the accused was learnt to have turned 18 just 10 days before the crime, according to information provided by his school.
The accused is the son of Babuli Das of Suan Sahi under Basudevpupur block. However, his father has been missing for a long time. Muna has been staying at his uncle Kamalakant Das’ house at Hatiaganda.
A week back, the eight-year old daughter of late Laxmidhar Das went missing after a feast in the village April 24. She was not found despite intense search operations by villagers and firefighters. The next day, her body was found on the banks of the Son river with multiple injury marks.
Enraged over the incident, villagers blocked a road throughout the day, clamouring for justice.
The horrific nature of the crime triggered a statewide outrage with people staging road blockades and agitations at several places demanding immediate arrests in the case.
Though police had investigated the matter with scientific team and sniffing dogs, but could not get any leads immediately.
After getting the post-mortem report, Remuna inspector-in-charge Surendra Kumar Nayak had detained eight youths and questioned them for hours.
During interrogation, Muna Das owned up his crime. He stated that he killed the girl after becoming scared that she would reveal his identity to police.
Police said in a bid to evade suspicion, Das later joined the villagers in their search efforts.
The IIC also added Das was always in an inebriated state and is suspected of raping 12 other girls of the village. However, no complaints were lodged in this connection.
The accused was produced in court Saturday. PNN
