The main accused in the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Bollaram, Hyderabad has been arrested by police on Monday.
The accused was caught with the help of CCTV footage and is now lodged in Bollaram police station. He is reportedly habituated to consuming toddy.
The girl's body was found on the outskirts of Bolaram on Sunday.
North Zone police DCP Sumathi said in a press conference, ''The accused is a habitual offender who had been released from prison just a few days back. The accused doesn't do anything for his earning, he is often involved in thefts and robbery and he is habituated to be in prison. He is involved in 17 cases in Alwal and Narsapur police station in Medak district.”
The accused took away the girl, a class III student, from near a toddy shop on Saturday evening when she was with her mother, after luring her to buy some chocolates and chips. CCTV footage, released by the police from a Kallu compound (liquor shop) in Bollarum, shows the girl with a man who was drinking. Police believe the murder took place on Saturday.
''The accused kidnapped the minor girl from Sarvan Goud toddy shop at around 5:30 pm at Macha Bollaram and took her to the bushes between Ammuguda railway track and EME centre area and committed the heinous crime by tying her hands and legs, using her clothes. He then allegedly killed her by smashing the girl's head with a boulder and fled from the spot. He is a habitual offender and is also involved in two rapes and murder case of minor girls in Alwal police station, Bollaram ,Cyberabad and is also involved in robbery and extortion,” the DCP added.
A case under relevant sections of IPC for rape, murder and under POCSO Act has been registered.