8-Year-Old Child Allegedly Raped, Killed By Neighbor After Being Lured With Candies

A 22-year-old man was arrested in India for allegedly raping and killing his 8-year-old neighbor Monday night.

The incident took place in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Local police said the accused, who has been identified only by his first name Laxman, abducted the minor girl after luring her with candies. The 22-year-old reportedly lived just 100 meters away from the victim's house in a village in Azamgarh district, Times Now reported, citing The Times of India reported.

Preliminary investigation revealed the accused abducted the girl, and took her to an isolated area, where he raped her. He then strangled the girl to death, local police officer Anurag Arya said.

The girl's parents started searching for her after she did not return home till late Monday night. During the search, some people found the girl's body in the isolated place, following which the police were informed about the incident.

Local police officers and forensic experts arrived at the crime scene and collected evidence that led them to Laxman.

An autopsy was conducted to determine the exact cause of death. Based on the preliminary findings, the police arrested the accused and charged him with the rape and murder of the minor girl.

The police also learnt the accused worked in a flour mill, and was a drug addict, the Tribune reported, citing IANS.

In July, an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her seniors inside their school's bathroom in the Indian capital of New Delhi. According to a statement released by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), the matter was "hushed up" by the school. "We have received a very serious case of gang-rape with an 11-year-old student inside a school in Delhi. The girl has alleged that her school teacher tried to hush up the matter. It is very unfortunate that even schools are unsafe for children in the capital," DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal told PTI, as quoted by Mint.

The 11-year-old victim told the police she was on her way to class when she "collided with two boys" from grades 11 and 12. "She has alleged that the boys locked the toilet door from inside and raped her. She has stated that when she informed the incident to a teacher, she was informed that the boys have been expelled and the matter was allegedly hushed up," DCW said in the statement.