A semi-naked body of an eight-year-old girl stuffed in a gunny bag was found near a primary school in Varanasi. The accused, Irshad, who is the victim's neighbour, was arrested following a brief shootout with police. He has been charged with rape and murder.

The incident took place in Varanasi's Sujabad area. The body of the minor was found near the boundary wall of Bahadurpur Primary School on Tuesday. There were blood stains and bruise marks all over the body.

The accused was arrested based on CCTV footage. Irshad was seen taking the girl to his house and coming out with the body in a sack after sometime. Police said Irshad killed the girl after she resisted his attempt to rape her.

"Looking at the nearby CCTV footage, it was found that Irshad, a resident of the neighbourhood, had tried to rape the girl by abducting her. After failing to do so, he killed her by hitting her head with a stone and then, taking the body in a gunny bag and throwing it in front of the school," DCP, Varanasi Kashi Zone, Gaurav Banswal told media.

The girl, the daughter of a disabled auto driver, had left her home around 6.30 pm on Tuesday to buy a mosquito repellent from a nearby shop. When she didn't return home, her family members began searching for her. When the search yielded no results, a complaint was lodged in the nearby police station.

After scanning the nearby CCTV cameras, police zeroed in on Irshad as the suspect. During an operation to arrest him, Irshad opened fire at the police team. The police also fired shots in return, during which Irshad was shot in the leg. He is being treated at a hospital.

Source: India Today