Kolhapur: Girl 'sexually assaulted', killed; body found in sugarcane field

The body of a 10-year-old missing girl was recovered from a sugarcane field in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district on Thursday morning, 22 August, with the police suspecting she was sexually assaulted before being murdered.

The girl, whose family hails from Bihar, left her residence on Wednesday evening after her uncle scolded her over excessive mobile phone use, police said.

As she did not return home till late in the evening, her family members launched a frantic search and on not finding her, they lodged a missing person's complaint with a local police station.

The minor's body was spotted in the morning by local residents in a sugarcane field just 800 metres away from her home in Shiye village under Karvir taluka, police said.

According to the police, the girl's parents work in an industrial unit in the Shiroli MIDC area.

The body has been sent for post-mortem and further probe was underway, they said.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, said the police suspect the girl was sexually assaulted before being killed.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said, "The girl's family is from Bihar. As per primary information, her uncle beat her up on Wednesday afternoon and she left home. A local police station received a complaint at around 10 pm on Wednesday that the girl was missing. Her body was found this morning and the police suspect sexual assault on the girl. The police have detained some suspects and an investigation was on."

He promised a thorough probe in the case and exemplary punishment for the culprits.

"We will go to the bottom of this case and the perpetrators will face strict action. We will provide all possible help to the family," Fadnavis said.

The incident comes days after two minor girls were sexually abused by an attendant in a school in Badlapur town of Thane district.