Kathua repeated: 8-year-old raped, murdered in UP

In a horrific repeat of Kathua gang rape and killing in Uttar Pradesh, an 8-year-old girl was allegedly raped before being strangled to death in state's Etah district, about 300 kilometres from here.

According to the police sources here the accused teen, identified as Sonu Jatav, who worked at a local tent house, was arrested by the police.

Police said that the victim had gone to attend a wedding function in her neighbourhood when the incident took place.

Sonu, who was among the workers, who had set-up the stage at the function, allegedly dragged the girl to a room in an under construction house nearby and raped her before strangling her to death around midnight on Monday.

The family members of the victim started a search for her when she was not seen until morning. Her body was found in the house on Tuesday morning, sources said. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared brought dead.

Acting swiftly the police nabbed the culprit, who reportedly confessed to a crime.

An irate mob later blocked traffic on Etah-Farrukhabad road demanding that the culprit be handed over to them. Security personnel had been deployed in strength to maintain law and order, sources said adding that the district administration had announced a financial compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the family of the victim.

The incident comes close on the heels of gang-rape and murder of an 8-year-old in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and the rape of an 11-year-old girl in Gujarat triggering a nationwide outrage.