Missing class 5 girl found dead after 5 days:Stepfather says she died by suicide, buried body fearing shame

The body of a 12-year-old girl, who had gone missing under suspicious circumstances from the Sirol area of Gwalior, was found on Friday night in the Mau area of Bhind district. The body was recovered in a mutilated condition from the banks of the Sindh River. Police suspect that a large portion of the body may have been eaten by crocodiles. The girl’s mother and stepfather have been taken into custody for questioning. The girl’s stepfather claimed that she had died by suicide at home on May 24. He alleged that, fearing social stigma and police action, he transported the body to Bhind and buried it near the riverbank. The girl’s face was badly damaged. Police are treating the case as suspicious and are investigating all angles. The body will undergo a post-mortem examination today. Missing person report filed on May 25 According to police, the girl was a Class 5 student. Her stepfather lodged a missing person complaint at Sirol Police Station on May 25. Police officials said they had been suspicious of the stepfather’s statements and behaviour from the very beginning. Investigators had been closely monitoring him while trying to piece together the sequence of events. The case took a dramatic turn on Friday night when the girl’s body was recovered from the banks of the Sindh River in Bhind’s Mau area. Body sent for forensic examination Police have sent the body for post-mortem and forensic examination. Since the remains were found in a severely mutilated condition, the autopsy may be conducted by a medical board. Investigators are trying to determine whether the girl actually died by suicide, as claimed by the stepfather, or whether there are inconsistencies in his version of events. According to Gwalior Police, the body was recovered in an extremely deteriorated condition. While the stepfather claims it was a suicide and admits to concealing the body, police have not ruled out the possibility of murder. The exact cause of death will become clear only after the post-mortem report is received. Questioning of the accused stepfather is continuing. Stepfather runs his own taxi The girl’s stepfather owns an Eeco van, which he operates as a taxi through a travel agency. The girl had two younger sisters, aged six and eight. She had been living with her stepfather for the past eight years. Her biological father resides in Bhind. According to police, the girl’s mother had separated from her first husband several years ago.