PWD employee arrested for rape,murder of 5-yr-old

According to the police,the victim was the daughter of flower vendors living outside Grant Road station,and had gone missing on the afternoon of February 4. Her parents,who have six children,filed a missing person’s complaint that night. The following day,a woman discovered the child’s body near a garbage dump located in a narrow lane between two buildings outside the station.

“The girl’s mouth was gagged and her hands were bound in front of her chest with rope. The cause of death was found to be asphyxia and sexual assault was also confirmed. We began parallel investigations,and interrogated about 70 to 80 ragpickers known to frequent the area. Today,we arrested the murderer,who seems to be of unsound mind,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

According to the police,Lad is a chronic alcoholic who hails from Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri district. He came to Mumbai in 1981,and began work as a temporary electrician with the PWD till he became a permanent employee in 1986 as a wireman. For the past 10 months,he had not been reporting to work,instead earning money to purchase alcohol by picking up bottles and cans from the road and selling. He has a wife and two children who reside in Sangameshwar.