Chennai, March 27: In a shocking incident, an army official and his wife have been taken into custody in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai for the alleged sexual assault and murder of their minor adopted daughter, as reported by the police on Tuesday. The woman, who is the wife of the prime accused and the aunt of the 11-year-old victim, had adopted the girl after her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment.

When the girl had first reported the crime to her aunt, she attempted to conceal it, reported NDTV.

The accused, a Subedar in the Army stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly committed the sexual abuse when he returned home for a month-long vacation. The crime was discovered on March 22 when the couple brought the deceased child to a government hospital in Madurai, claiming they found her unconscious. However, the post-mortem examination revealed sexual abuse, prompting the hospital authorities to notify the police. Chhattisgarh Horror: Boy Rapes Three-Year-Old Girl After Locking Himself in Toilet With Her, Toddler Dies After Sex Assault.

The Oomachikumal police initiated an investigation following the report and arrested the couple two days later after questioning. Delhi Minor Girl Rape Case: DCP Apoorva Gupta Dismisses Rumours That Four-Year-Old Battling for Life After Sex Assault, Says 'She's Alright and Under Observation of Doctors, Cousellors' (Watch Video).

The police stated that the man had suffocated the girl to death. Despite the victim’s complaint to her aunt, the aunt did not inform the police and tried to cover up the crime. The accused have been charged with murder under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The girl’s mother had passed away when she was a baby, and she and her sibling were subsequently abandoned by their father. Since then, she had been raised by her aunt and her uncle, who is an army official.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2024 09:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).