Hyderabad Five-Year-Old’s Kidnapping and Murder Case Cracked, Former Guard Arrested

Police have cracked the kidnapping and murder case of a five-year-old girl from a gated community in Kowkoor, Hyderabad, arresting Vikram Kumar, a former security guard at the same residential complex, on Monday. He is accused of abducting the child and demanding a ransom of Rs 20 lakh from her family. The girl’s body was found on Sunday inside an unused water sump in the basement of the community’s clubhouse.

The child was the daughter of a research scientist working for an organisation in the agricultural sector. She went missing on the evening of October 10. Later that day, an unidentified caller contacted her grandfather and father, claiming to have the girl and demanding Rs 20 lakh for her release.

Following a complaint from the child’s father, Bollaram police registered a kidnapping case and launched an investigation. During the search, officers discovered the body in the basement water sump. Investigators subsequently suspected Vikram Kumar, a native of Bihar’s Nalanda district, who had worked at the community from September 22 to October 6. Police took him into custody on October 11.

According to Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B. Sumathi, preliminary investigations suggest that the accused planned the crime in an attempt to become rich quickly. He allegedly entered the residential complex on October 10 intending to abduct the girl and extort money from her parents. However, he reportedly killed her after deciding that keeping her under control would be difficult.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the child was strangled to death, the Commissioner said. The accused allegedly concealed her body in an unused sump in a basement area with limited movement. Police noted that the location had no CCTV cameras. He allegedly used a SIM card belonging to another security guard to contact the family and demand the ransom.

Police said they would expedite the investigation and seek a trial in a fast-track court. They also stated that they would pursue legal measures to seek the death penalty for the accused.

The incident has renewed concerns over security in gated communities. Sumathi stressed the need for background verification of staff, continuous monitoring, resident vigilance and coordination with police.

The Malkajgiri police urged resident welfare associations and apartment communities to participate in the ‘Mee Suraksha’ domestic help verification programme and the ‘Nenu Saitham 2.0’ CCTV surveillance initiative. Awareness programmes are also being conducted to promote registration and background checks of domestic workers, security guards and watchmen.