Bhopal, February 20: A shocking incident of rape and murder has come to light from Madhya Pradesh, where a serial rapist allegedly raped and killed an 11-year-old hearing- and speech-impaired girl. The accused was identified as Ramesh Khati (40), who has been a habitual sex offender. Police officials said the accused was acquitted in another rape case where the trial court had initially awarded him a death sentence. They also said that the accused was behind bars for 10 years for rape in a separate case.

Victim Found in Nearby Buses With Serious Injuries

The alleged incident occurred on the night of February 1 when the minor girl went missing from her residence, reports Indian Express. The next morning, the victim was found in nearby bushes with serious injuries. She was immediately rushed to a hospital in Bhopal, where she died on February 8. During its probe, cops questioned 418 suspects, including 382 labourers from the local mandi area. Although they identified the accused, it was late as he had fled the state by then. Madhya Pradesh Shocker: 2 Accused of Kidnapping 6-Year-Old Boy Held After Brief Gunfight in Morena District.

Cops learned that the accused was headed to the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Launching a manhunt, they arrested the accused while he was on a train to Jaipur. Cops said that Khati has a criminal history and was a habitual offender who also served time in prison. The serial rapist was first arrested and found guilty in a rape case in 2003, for which he served a 10-year sentence. After his release from jail, the accused was booked in 2013 in a theft case in 2013 and later, in 2014, he was booked in a POCSO case.

Accused Had a Criminal History

Officials said that the accused was awarded a death sentence by the trial court, which was later overturned by the High Court on technical grounds. Back then, the High Court noted that the victim's father's presence during the identification parade could have influenced the results. Aditya Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Rajgarh, said that they are conducting DNA profiling and cross-matching to find out if the accused is linked to other unsolved cases. Damoh Shocker: 2 School Girls Jump off Moving Bus After Driver, Others Make Obscene Remarks in Madhya Pradesh; 4 Arrested.

He also said that special teams were formed to nab the accused. The teams searched nine districts from Ujjain to Prayagraj and even went to Jaipur to look for him. Additionally, seventeen railway stations were searched, and over 400 CCTV footages were analysed.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2025 08:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).