16-year-old boy strangles minor girl to death in Malappuram, rape suspected

MALAPPURAM: More vital information emerged in the murder of a 14-year-old girl at Thodiyapulam in Malappuram. The police have taken a 16-year-old plus one student into custody. He told police that he had raped the girl.

The body of the ninth-class girl was found in a bush near the railway track between Vaniyambalam and Thodiyapulam this afternoon. The girl, who had gone to the school yesterday, had not returned home. The police confirmed that the girl had got off the bus in front of her school in Karuvarakundu school at 9.30 am, but could not find where she had gone later. In the meantime, she called her parents and told them that she was coming home. The phone was later found to be switched off. Her mother later filed a complaint at the Karuvarakundu police station. The body was found when the police were investigating after registering a case. When the body was recovered, her hands were found to be tied up. The girl was in her school uniform. The police during investigation found that the girl was in a relationship with the boy. The 16-year-old confessed to the crime after being taken into custody and questioned. He himself showed the body to the police. Relatives said the boy was earlier summoned to the police station for his intimacy towards the girl and was released after given a warning. Her relatives alleged that the accused did not commit the crime alone and other people are involved. Police said the investigation into the incident is progressing.