Pudukottai (TN), Jul 2 (PTI) A missing seven-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and killed allegedly by a man in a village near here, following which he has been arrested, police said here on Thursday.
The crime coming close on the heels of a killing of a 13 -year old girl in this district, has led to an outrage and Chief Minister K Palaniswami assured stern legal action against the accused involved in the ghastly crime.
Condoling her death, the CM said he was grieved to learn that she was sexually assaulted and killed.
"The accused responsible for the heinous crime has been arrested. I have ordered police officials to take expeditious action to get appropriate punishment for him," he said.
He also announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the girl's family.
The child went missing on June 30 evening and after unsuccessful searches, her family lodged a police complaint the next day.
During investigation, police said they spotted the body of the child in a deserted location near her village and it was also found that the child was last seen with a neighbour.
"A youth, living near the child's house had taken her to a temple and local people also had seen them together.
Later, this man had taken her to a secluded place where he sexually assaulted and killed her," a police official told PTI.
The 25-year-old man was arrested today and during questioning, he confessed to his crime of sexual assault and murder, the official said adding the body of the victim, which bore signs of assault and injuries was sent to a government hospital for post-mortem.
Asked on the findings of autopsy, he said: "the report corroborates the confession of the accused."
A case of rape and murder under IPC sections, the POCSO Act for aggravated penertrative sexual asault and the SC/ST Act has been filed.
The ghastly crime against the child has outraged people and several in the social media sought justice and condemned crimes against women and children.
In May, a 13-year old girl was killed by her father "to get prosperity," on the basis of "advise of a woman black magician."
Four people including the victim's father, the black magician and her assistant were arrested.
