Taloja police arrested a 29-year-old man on Thursday for allegedly murdering a three-year-old girl and hiding her body in a bag inside her home. The accused had planned to extort ransom money from the child’s father, but swift police action foiled his attempt.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Prashant Mohite confirmed the arrest of the accused, Mohammed Ansari, who has confessed to the crime. “Ansari murdered the child in an attempt to extort money from her father. He hid the body while the family was outside searching for her,” Mohite said.
The girl had gone missing on Tuesday, March 25, while playing outside her home in Devichapada, Taloja. Concerned, her parents filed a missing person’s report at the Taloja Police Station. Two days later, on Thursday, March 27, a foul odor from the bathroom loft led to the heartbreaking discovery of her lifeless body inside a rexine bag.
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Investigations revealed that Ansari, who has three children, allegedly killed the girl due to ongoing disputes between his wife and the victim’s mother. Additionally, he had lost Rs 42,000 in online gaming and sought to recover his losses by demanding ransom.
Ansari strangled the girl using a shoelace and initially planned to dispose of the body. However, when he couldn't find an opportunity, he hid it inside her house while the family was searching for her. Police arrested him after confirming that the rexine bag used to conceal the body belonged to him.
DCP Mohite stated that police had initially registered a kidnapping case but later added murder charges after the body was discovered. “Further investigations led us to the accused,” he added.