Teenaged girl's death sparks controversy in Chittoor

Tirupati: The ongoing investigation into the suspicious death of a missing 16-year-old girl from Venugopalapuram village in Penumuru mandal of Chittoor district has ignited controversy, though police are investigating the case from all angles.

With too many speculations going on in social media, Chittoor police issued a notice on Tuesday, asking people to refrain from disseminating false information concerning the death of the girl, who had gone missing from her residence on September 17. Her body was found dead and partially decomposed in an agricultural well three days later.

According to Chittoor ASP Sree Lakshmi, the first-year intermediate student had left her home around 6 p.m. on September 17 without informing anyone. When she failed to return home, her family reported her missing to the police on the following day. Police launched an investigation and discovery of her body on September 20 around 9 p.m. Police then altered the case from a missing person to a suspicious death due to drowning.

However, the parents of the deceased suspect foul play and have filed a complaint against four individuals they believe may have caused their daughter's death. They said their daughter had been lured in the guise of love before her brutal death. They alleged culprits subjected her to sexual assault, shaved of her hair and eyebrows, and murdered her.

Police, on the other hand, say the preliminary post-mortem report did not reveal any injuries on the minor girl's body. However, they have sent her viscera for forensic analysis. "We require more evidence to unravel the truth behind this incident. We have questioned four suspects. We are awaiting forensic reports to know whether the girl suffered any form of violence,” ASP Lakshmi told reporters on Tuesday.

Questioned about allegations that the girl's hair had been shaved off, the ACP refuted the claim saying they peel off due to its prolonged exposure to water. “Hair samples collected from the agricultural well have also been dispatched for forensic scrutiny,” she pointed out.

On widespread speculations on social media, the ASP warned rumour mongers that they could face legal action.