SIT formed to probe brutal killing of an infant, family demands death penalty for accused

Lucknow, June 07: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday constituted a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to probe the killing of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl, who was strangled to death after her parents allegedly failed to repay a loan, said reports.

The incident took place in Tappal town in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh. A man named Zahid brutally choked the minor girl, Twinkle Sharma, to death over an argument with her family regarding a small loan amount.

The shocking incident has sparked widespread condemnation and protests in the area. Five policemen have reportedly been suspended for neglecting their duty.

Aligarh police said a mutilated body of a girl was found in a garbage dump on June 2 and suspected the brutal killing was a fallout of a monetary dispute. The girl had been missing since May 31.

"I request Modi Government and Yogi Government to severely punish the accused. We want death penalty for him. Otherwise if he comes out after 7 years, he will be emboldened even more..No action against accused will encourage them. Aslam (co-accused) had raped his own 4-year-old daughter, his wife took their daughter that day itself and left for her parents' home," Twinkle's mother Shilpa Sharma told ANI.

Two persons have been arrested in connection with the crime and police said they will charge the duo under the National Security Act.

Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari said the post-mortem examination confirmed the girl died due to strangulation and ruled out sexual assault. Security in the area has been tightened after tension prevailed in the area.