In connection with a ghastly  incident of raping and murdering a seven-year-old  minor on June 25, Udham Singh Nagar police have arrested the accused. Police said that the crime was committed during a Devi Jagran Programme  at Tanda Ujjan under Kotwali area  on the night of June 25.

The accused who was identified as Karandeep Sharma is an electrician. He  was working at the venue  of the  Jagran, said Kashipur additional SP Kamlesh Upadhayay while interacting with the media persons on Tuesday. She said that a team  had been formed after the incident came into light.

Team members had inspected the incident site and questioned some suspects  following which the accused was  arrested, she said. Her body had  been thrown in Bitter Gourd (vegetable) field in the locality, police said, adding that the  minor  had reached the venue along with her friend.

Her friend (female)  had provided inputs to the team members, helping  them crack the case, ASP said. The victim’s family members demanded  nothing short of death sentence to the accused.  The DNA of  the accused would be done to mete out to him the  maximum  quantum of punishment  through the court, said police.   

The incident had  made the locals angry and they had protested while demanding arrest and exemplary  punishment of the accused  at  the earliest. Police sources said that both the girls (the victim and her friend) had reached the place where a tableau was being made. Both had innocently desired to become like the Mata (goddess). They had told those engaged in making the tableau so. A person who was sitting there had given them biscuits. A person with black spectacles on was also standing there. later, both the girls left the place. Her friend went for other place to fetch water for her brother while the victim went the same place (tableau), informing her friend that she was going to meet her uncle’s sister. When the relatives asked the same woman (uncle’s sister) about where she was she replied she might be wandering about here and there. later, the victim was found missing from the venue.

To crack the case, police questioned all the persons who were seen in  the video footages. The person who had been  wearing  black spectacle was missing. later the same was identified as Razia, an electrician. Police arrested  Razia on Monday night. The accused was learnt to have confessed his crime and said that he was Karandeep Sharma alias Razia alias Raju, native of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

In course of interrogation, Razia said that as a little  girl at the venue had been insisting on being made  like   the goddess (Mata) he asked  her to  follow him. The accused informed the police that he had taken  her at  a petrol pump and raped her. According to  the accused,  he had not murdered  her. She had died  while he was  forcing sexual relationship  on her. After raping her and finding her unconscious, he  had escaped, he said.

Based on the information provided by him, police recovered  the victim’s clothes and other relevant evidences related to the case. Interrogation revealed that  both  his wives had left him.