Puducherry, Mar 7 (PTI) In the wake of widespread protest from various organisations and political parties condemning the alleged murder of a minor girl in the union territory, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the case, police said on Thursday.

G Vivekanandan (52) and M Kakka alias Karunaas (19) have been arrested in connection with the murder of a nine-year-old girl. Cases have been registered under different sections of the IPC including section 302 (punishment for murder), a release said.

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Police have also registered cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and also under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act read with section 34 of the IPC.

The SIT is headed by Senior Superintendent of Police R Kalaivanan and has the Superintendent of Police (East) Lakshmi Sujanya as the investigating officer. Inspector of Police Ganesh and the Sub Inspector of Police Sivaprakasam would assist the SIT.

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The team would work under the overall supervision of the Deputy Inspector General of Police Brijendra Kumar Yadav, the release said.

The minor girl studying class V had gone missing on March 2. The parents of the girl lodged a complaint with the police in Muthialpet block.

The girl's body was found floating in a sack in a drain near her house in Muthialpet block here on Tuesday and was retrieved by the police. It was later sent to JIPMER for post mortem.

Volunteers and representatives of various organisations held demonstrations on Wednesday demanding deterrent action against the culprits involved in the crime.

The demonstrators gathered in large numbers on the seashore behind the Mahatma Gandhi statue here, raising slogans condemning the heinous crime and demanded capital punishment for the culprits who had abducted the child and murdered her.

The agitators also stated that "unbridled prevalence of narcotics and drugs has been causingthe outbreak of heinous crimes in the Union Territory." There was also a strong protest against 'resto bars' functioning at various points under the garb of promoting tourism. Strict action should be taken against the drug peddlers, they demanded.

Leaders of various political parties here have also condemned the crime against the girl. The opposition DMK, the AIADMK and the Congress have called for a 12 hour bandh from 6 am in Puducherry on March 8 to protest against "failure of the government to prevent atrocities on the girl child and also to curb drug menace."

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday assured that stern action would be taken against the culprits involved in the murder of the girl.

The government will constitute a special fast track court soon to award punishment in a week's time to the culprits involved in the sexual harassment and murder of the girl, she said.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy held a meeting with top police officials to take stock of the situation. The government also announced a solatium of Rs 20 lakh to the bereaved parents.

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