Man held for murder of woman, rape of minor

An autorickshaw driver was arrested in Gujarat’s Rajkot for robbing and killing a 70-year-old woman and then raping and murdering a three-yearold girl in less than 24 hours last week, police said on Wednesday.

Officials said Ramesh Vaidhukiya, who is in his 30s, killed Asma Sadikot in Parabazar area on February 7 at around 6pm and took a gold chain and earrings from her body.

The police, who arrested Vaidhukiya on February 10 in connection with looting and killing of the elderly woman, were not aware of his involvement in the second crime as the threeyear-old’s body was found from PTC Ground near Chunarwada the next day.

The police found out that Vaidhukiya was involved in both the crimes on February 13 during the course of their investigation. “With help of CCTV footage, we got visuals of a man taking the little girl in an auto. He had worn the same bracelet that Vaidhukiya was wearing. Besides, the method used for killing was similar too. Based on this, Vaidhukiya was grilled and he confessed to the other crime as well,’’ deputy commissioner of police (Zone-II), Karanraj Vaghela, said.

Police said Vaidhukiya bought alcohol on February 8 from the money he got by selling off one of the earrings he took from Sadikot’s body.

He then kidnapped the girl from Chunarwada and took her to PTC Ground, where he raped her twice before smashing her head with a stone.

The parents of the girl are migrants from Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh.

The family has gone back to Jambuva to perform her last rites.

AHMEDABAD: