Mysore, Feb 25 (DHNS): A girl child was raped and done to death by a teenager at Edahalli on the outskirts on Thursday. The victim Ranjitha (3 years, 8 months) is the daughter of Sukanya and Murthy of Halllikerehundi and was living with her maternal grandmother Devamma at Edahalli in the taluk for the past one years. 

Ranjitha was playing outside the house around 6.30 pm, when Nanjappa, 19, a youth in the neighbourhood took her on the pretext of buying her eatables. She was found dead around 11 pm with her head crushed, behind the government school in the village.

Panicked grandmother

Police said, Nanjappa had allegedly raped the girl and then killed her by smashing her head with a stone. When the girl didn’t return home even after 9 pm, the panicked grandmother along with her neighbours began to search for her, but to no avail.

Jayapura police apprehended Nanjappa following the statement of the victim’s grandmother, Devamma, who in her complaint found the behaviour of Nanjappa suspicious.

The police secured Nanjappa who was planning to flee. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and narrated the incident.

Mother’s care

Sukanya had left her daughter under her mother’s care one year ago, as she (Devamma) was living alone. Apart from Ranjitha, Prakasha, another grand child (Devamma’s younger daughter’s son) was also living with her.

Another reason to send Ranjitha to her grandparents’ place was, she had been admitted to kindergarten at a convent in Kote Hundi near Edahalli. Nanjappa was a school dropout.

The Jayapura police have registered a case of rape and murder.