Nilgiris district police use mobile phone records to trace suspects in murder case

The case involves the kidnap and murder of an 8-year-old girl

January 18, 2021 04:44 pm | Updated 04:44 pm IST - UDHAGAMANDALAM

The Nilgiris district police are using the Cyber Crime Cell to track the mobile phone records of suspects whom they believe could have been involved in the kidnap and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Thuthurmattam in Coonoor in December 2020.

Police said that following the discovery of the girl’s body on Saturday, a post-mortem was conducted, which revealed that the injuries which she had suffered had been inflicted ante-mortem. “As a result, we have altered the case to murder, and are continuing our investigations,” said Nilgiris district superintendent of police, V. Sasi Mohan.

The police added that they were awaiting the results of further tests to ascertain whether the girl was sexually assaulted. Mr. Sasi Mohan also said that the Scene of Crime (SOC), has not yet been established. “We are still investigating whether the girl was killed near the well and her body disposed of inside, or whether she was killed in a separate location and then the body disposed at the location where it was finally found,” said the SP.

The police have also drawn up a list of suspects whom they believe could have been involved in the murder. They have also not ruled out the possibility of the involvement of a 30-year-old tea estate worker, residing in the area, who died by suicide on January 7, after murdering his family of three. “There are a couple of suspects in the case and we are trying to pinpoint their location when the crime occurred, and also to see whether they were near to the area where the body of the girl was found,” said a top police official.

(Those in need of counselling may contact the State Health helpline 104 or Sneha's Suicide prevention hotline -04424640050)

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