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BHIWANDI: A 32-year-old powerloom worker who allegedly raped and murdered a six-year-old girl in Bhiwandi in 2023 and fled from a court two months ago struck once again barely 2km away on Wednesday.He allegedly raped and strangled a seven-year-old neighbour, left the body in a gunny sack and fled. He was caught the same night while trying to escape to his hometown in Bihar’s Madhubani.The child bore scratch marks on multiple body parts, leading to suspicion that she had fought back. The suspect was produced before a court, which remanded him in eight days of police custody.Police said that action will be taken against owner of the house who rented it out to the accused without duly notifying police.Police said the suspect had moved into the house next to the seven-year-old’s home just three days prior. Wednesday, when the child stepped out to use a public toilet, he allegedly lured her with food, took her into his house, raped and strangled her, and escaped.The crime’s similarities with a Sept 2023 rape-murder case prompted police show that suspect’s photo to the parents, who identified him as the neighbour in whose house their daughter’s body was found.Police are ascertaining if he committed any other crime during this period.The girl’s parents questioned how such a dangerous criminal easily escaped from custody and came back to the city to strike again.
