Disabled girl, 12, raped and beheaded in twisted ‘black magic ritual’ leaving locals terrified in India
A DISABLED 12-year-old girl was raped and beheaded in what cops believe was a “black magic ritual”.
Police in Gujarat, India, have arrested her cousin Nitin Mali, 25, for raping and killing the girl who was speech and hearing impaired after her body was found in Dantiwada in the Banaskantha district on Saturday.
“It was a moonless night and this district is still affected by such superstitions.
“So I asked the police to investigate this matter from a superstition perspective as well as it does not appear to be a clear-cut case as it is being made out at the moment.”
BLOOD-STAINED EVIDENCE
Deesa’s Deputy Superintendent Dr Kushal Ojha said: "The case came to light when Dantiwada police found a decapitated body near the pond near Moti Bhakhar village.
“A day earlier, police were informed of the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl from the area.
“On the morning of October 17, the body of a minor was found in the border of Moti Bhakhar village.
“The police also found the severed head of the girl at some distance of the body.
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“On investigation, it was confirmed that the body was of the missing girl.”
He added: "In CCTV footage the accused Nitin Mali, cousin of the deceased, was found to be riding with the victim on his bike.
“Primary investigation revealed that Nitin, raped the victim and later beheaded her due to the fear of getting exposed.”
Superintendent Tarun Kumar Duggal though has denied a black magic motive despite the possible evidence.
When questioned by the paper, he said: “I had refused an angle of superstition and black magic because there was no evidence pointing in that direction.
COUSIN ARRESTED
“However, we are open to all outcomes and will investigate this case from all possible angles.
“Right now, we are not dismissing any theory.”
Duggal added, “Thankfully, the court has seen fit to give us a 10-day custodial remand of the accused and so we will be constantly investigating this case and trying to find out what really happened.”
Dr Rajulben Desai, Member of National Commission for Women (NCW) also visited the area.
"The increasing incidence of atrocities and rapes against women, especially minors, is of great concern to society," she said.
The body of the victim had been sent for post-mortem and further investigation in the case is underway.
Earlier this month a woman was allegedly gang raped by seven men after they strangled the woman’s five-year-old son in front of her.
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The 28-year-old woman, who has not been named, was brutally attacked at a village in the Buxar district in India.
According to the latest Indian government data, the police registered 33,658 cases of rape in 2017 - an average of 92 per day.