Ghaziabad, March 17 (IANS) A tragic case involving the death of a minor girl under suspicious circumstances has surfaced within the jurisdiction of the Nandgram Police Station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The incident was reported late on the night of March 16, after authorities were alerted that a child had been discovered severely injured in an open field.

According to reports, the incident occurred around 9.00 p.m. Upon finding the injured girl, family members and local residents immediately rushed her to the district hospital. Police personnel arrived shortly after the alert was raised; however, despite medical efforts, the girl succumbed to her injuries during treatment.

Given the gravity of the case, senior police officials arrived to inspect the crime scene. Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams and a Dog Squad were summoned to the site to collect evidence and reconstruct the sequence of events.

During the preliminary investigation, the victim’s family alleged that a neighbour, identified as Gaurav Prajapati (approximately 24 years old), had approached the girl earlier that evening. They claimed he lured her away under the pretext of buying her sweets. The accused is reportedly a long-time acquaintance of the family.

When the girl failed to return home, a search was initiated, leading to her discovery in the field. The family expressed profound shock at her condition upon finding her. Late last night, Nandgram ACP Ziauddin Ahmed and the local station in-charge visited the hospital to lead the investigation.

DCP Dhaval Jaiswal stated, “Taking the matter seriously, the police have taken the accused, Gaurav Prajapati, into custody, and interrogation is currently underway. We are in the process of registering a case under the relevant sections of the law following the receipt of a formal written complaint from the family.”

In a separate and equally distressing report from southeast Delhi’s Okhla, an eight-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by three minors. The suspects — aged 12 and 13 — reportedly lured the victim to a godown on March 12 and 13. Following the victim’s statement to investigators, the three boys have been detained by the police as the investigation continues.

–IANS

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