North Tripura (Tripura) [India], October 12 : A 14-month-old girl who had come from Silchar to visit her maternal uncle's home was found dead at Panisagar in North Tripura on Sunday after being reportedly taken from the house by a neighbour who had promised to feed her, said the police.
The child's family and local residents are demanding the harshest possible punishment for the accused.
According to a complaint lodged at Panisagar Police Station at around 8:00 pm on Saturday, the toddler went missing while she was at her uncle's residence. The child's mother, who had briefly stepped away, returned to find the baby gone and immediately informed relatives and police. A search operation was launched the same night.
Police and villagers recovered the child's body in a field late Saturday night. The body had been buried in the soil. A forensic team was called to the scene to examine the remains and the site, and the body was taken for post-mortem examination.
Local sources and the child's family told reporters that a young man from the neighbourhood had taken the toddler to his home on the pretext of feeding her rice. The family alleges the accused "committed a very bad act" with the child before killing her and burying the body. The accused was arrested on Sunday afternoon; police stated that he was taken into custody at approximately 2:00 pm.
A senior officer at Panisagar Police Station confirmed that a case has been registered against the arrested man and that multiple sections of law relating to abduction and murder have been invoked. "We have detained the accused and launched an in-depth investigation," the officer said, adding that the post-mortem and forensic results will guide further charges and the prosecution's course of action.
Relatives of the deceased and neighbours expressed shock and demanded swift and strict punishment. "We want justice. He must be punished severely," a family member said.