Aligar’s new-age Shylocks allegedly rape, kill and maim 3-year-old over Rs5,000

Police acted after local people protested against the dastardly act. The authorities also suspended five policemen for neglecting their duty in connection with the crime against the child.

The child went missing from Tappal on 31 May and her body was found in a garbage dump near her house on 2 June, three days after she went missing. 

The shocking incident has sparked widespread condemnation and protests in the area, but failed to make any media wave of protest.

Tappal is around 50 km form Aligarh’s senior superintendent of police Aakash Kulhari said the two men - Zahid and Aslam - have been arrested, while the girl’s father wanted other family members of the accused also be arrested as the crime could not have been carried out without their knowledge.

According to the child’s father the murderers were enraged over his failure to pay up Rs5,000 he owed them in time. He claimed that he had borrowed Rs40,000 from Zahid, of which he had returned Rs35,000 but sought more time to pay the remaining Rs5,000.

The distraught father said he would start a fast-unto death if no further arrests were made.

Aligarh Police said post-mortem examination has not found any sign of sexual assault but a slide has been prepared and sent to the forensic laboratory in Agra. The lab might take about a week to give its report whether the child was raped before the killing, Kulhari said.

The family of the girl has been demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the matter.

Police have said they will recommend that the two men arrested should be booked under the National Security Act (NSA). A person can be imprisoned for up to a year without being charged under the NSA.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case, a senior police officer said.

"We are proceeding with it as an NSA case, we will try to get it to a fast track court," said senior police officer Akash Kulhary, adding that five policemen had been suspended for not showing urgency in tracking down the missing child.

"We questioned Zahid and it was revealed that the body was hidden at Aslam's house. The body was later found at the garbage dump,"  news agency ANI quoted  Kulhary as saying.