Gwalior, June 1 (IANS) A missing person’s report filed in Bhind led police to uncover the gang-rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl whose body was found burnt on a hilltop area, with three accused now in custody, police said on Monday.

The victim’s family from Bhind approached the Mau police station after the minor failed to return home on 28 May. They named Ramu Gurjar, a local resident who was allegedly in a relationship with the girl, as a suspect.

Acting on the complaint, Gwalior and Mau police teams jointly detained Ramu on Monday.

During interrogation, Ramu initially misled investigators but later confessed when confronted with call records, police said. He revealed that he had lured the girl to Gwalior on his motorcycle on 28 May along with his accomplice Arun.

Police said the two took the minor to a secluded spot on the hill above Navgrah Temple, under Janakganj Police Station limits, and gang-raped her. When she resisted and tried to return home, they assaulted her.

The probe found that Ramu Gurjar then allegedly attempted to sell the girl to Arun for ₹50,000. When the victim saw the bargaining and tried to raise an alarm, both accused strangled her to death and hid the body in bushes, police said.

On 29 May, Ramu and Arun returned with Gaurav Kushwah to destroy evidence. They doused the body with petrol and set it on fire before fleeing, according to police.

“Acting on the information provided by the accused, Ramu Gurjar, the Janakganj police team proceeded to the hilltop situated above the Navgrah Temple, where they recovered the victim’s partially burnt and mutilated body on Monday,” CSP (Lashkar) Kiran Ahirwar said.

Ahirwar confirmed that the charred remains were recovered on 1 June.

“The main accused, Ramu Gurjar and Arun, along with Gaurav Kushwah, who assisted in burning the body, have been taken into custody. A case has been registered against the accused under charges of rape, the murder of a minor, and the concealment/destruction of evidence,” CSP Ahirwar added.

Further investigation was underway to gather additional forensic and digital evidence, the officer said.

–IANS

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