Bhubaneswar: A 25-year-old man was arrested in Angul district on Friday for the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in the district.The girl, a Class VIII student, had gone missing on Thursday after leaving home to pluck spinach from a nearby field. Her body was discovered the following day in an isolated area, sparking grief and outrage among villagers.Angul superintendent of police Rahul Jain, who visited the crime scene, confirmed that a case of rape and murder has been registered. “The accused, who belonged to the same village, was promptly arrested. A woman DSP has been assigned to lead the investigation, and I will personally supervise the probe. The charge sheet will be filed soon,” Jain said.The girl’s parents, both daily wagers, lodged a complaint on Thursday evening after their daughter failed to return home. Some villagers reported seeing her with the accused, leading the family to name him in the FIR. Police later found that the man had fled. Multiple teams tracked him down and arrested him while he was trying to flee the district.During interrogation, police sources said the accused confessed to abducting, sexually assaulting and strangling the child. “He is a daily labourer and had allegedly stolen household items from the girl’s family on two earlier occasions, though no formal complaint was filed at the time,” another police officer said.Forensic experts have collected scientific evidence, and the girl’s body has been sent for postmortem examination. Police forces have been deployed in the village to prevent unrest following the crime.As villagers demanded swift justice, police officials have assured that the investigation will be expedited to ensure the accused faces trial without delay.
