Six-year-old girl found dead after alleged rape in Andhra Pradesh; suspect arrested

In Chadalawada village of Naguluppalapadu mandal, a six-year-old girl staying with her grandmother was allegedly raped and murdered by a 25-year-old resident late Sunday night. According to police, the accused lured the sleeping child to an isolated area, assaulted her, and then smothered her to conceal the crime, placing the body on a chair near the house around 2 a.m. The grandmother discovered the unconscious child, and neighbors rushed her to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Villagers tracked down the suspect early Monday, beat him and handed him over to authorities, who said he had consumed cannabis. Police have detained him for questioning, opened a murder probe, and are awaiting the autopsy and formal charges, including under the POCSO Act. The victim’s family and locals staged a road blockade demanding swift justice, which was lifted after officials promised a fast-track case and government assistance.