The Mira Bhayandar–Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police have arrested a man from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly raping and murdering a five-year-old girl nearly 18 years after the crime was committed, officials said on Saturday.
The incident occurred in 2007 within the jurisdiction of the Manikpur police station, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madan Ballal said.
The accused, identified as Nandlal alias Nandu Ramdas Vishwakarma, was 22 years old at the time of the offence.
Police said Vishwakarma was arrested on December 10 from his native village Khardauri in Siddharth Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. After the crime, he had reportedly absconded to avoid arrest and remained untraceable for several years.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly lured the minor girl with the promise of a chocolate between late night on March 31, 2007, and the early hours of the following day. He is accused of sexually assaulting and physically attacking the child before strangling her to death.
Senior Inspector Aviraj Kurhade said the accused fled to Nepal soon after the incident and stayed there for a long period. He recently returned to Uttar Pradesh and was working as a labourer at a brick kiln when police traced him.
The Crime Detection Cell-2, Vasai, which had been conducting a parallel investigation along with the local police, received specific intelligence a few days ago that the accused was hiding in his home village.
Acting on the information, a police team was dispatched to Khardauri, leading to Vishwakarma’s arrest. Further investigation in the case is ongoing, officials added.
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