MAWKYRWAT, July 27: In a major development in the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in South West Khasi Hills district over four years ago, the police have arrested her guardian on charges that he was the mastermind of the crime and had also raped the child earlier.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Sunday, South West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Banraplang Jyrwa said based on the examination of Modu Sangma, a prime suspect who was arrested on July 20, after more than four years of continuous hunting, it has been revealed that Sangma had allegedly executed the murder of the child on the instructions of Ratan Das, a resident of Borsora and the guardian of the child.
“Ratan Das had allegedly raped the child earlier and had paid money to Modu Sangma to murder the child while he went to his hometown in Assam. After committing the crime, Modu Sangma had absconded from Borsora,” the SP said, adding that Ratan Das was arrested from Borsora on Saturday and he is currently being examined for further leads on the case.
According to the police, on March 6, 2021, one 12-year-old girl went missing from her home at Borsora village under Ranikor Civil Sub-Division in the district at around 5 pm.
Her body was recovered the next day and during post-mortem it was ascertained that she had been raped before being murdered.
The SP informed that the prime suspect identified as Modu Sangma had absconded and could not be traced since then.
However, the investigating officer kept on pursuing the case and eventually she traced the absconder to Byrnihat village, Ri-Bhoi, and with the help of the police from Byrnihat Outpost, Sangma was arrested on July 20.
He is currently lodged in 14-day judicial custody, police said.
