A 28-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering a five-year-old girl in a gated community in Kowkoor, Bollaram, in Telangana’s Medchal-Malkajgiri district. Police said the accused allegedly strangled the child and later demanded a ransom of ₹20 lakh from her family.
The deceased was identified as Arelia Moses, an LKG student and daughter of Milton Fernandes and Daisy Evangelia. The incident reportedly took place on Saturday evening while residents were celebrating the Bathukamma festival.
Child Disappears While Playing Near Clubhouse
According to police, Arelia was playing with four other children near the clubhouse of Villa Orchid society when the incident occurred. The accused, Vikram Kumar, originally from Nalanda district in Bihar, had previously worked as a security guard at the residential complex but was recently dismissed over alleged misconduct.
Police said a dispute had developed between Kumar and members of the residents’ association, with the accused reportedly blaming Arelia’s grandfather, Arul Das, a retired Singareni employee associated with the association, for his dismissal.
At around 6.30 pm on Saturday, Kumar allegedly entered the complex, claiming that he intended to request the association to reinstate him. Investigators allege that he took Arelia to the cellar, strangled her, restrained her hands and legs, attached a heavy stone to her body and threw her into a water sump.
When the child failed to return home by 7 pm, her family alerted the Bollaram police.
Ransom Calls Lead to Investigation
Police said Kumar allegedly called Arul Das around 9 pm and demanded ₹20 lakh, claiming that he had the child in his custody. When Das reportedly asked him to show Arelia over a video call as proof that she was safe, the accused switched off his phone.
Investigators traced the caller’s location to the Secunderabad area and examined CCTV footage from the residential complex. Footage showing Kumar leaving the cellar alone raised suspicions that the child might still be inside the premises.
Arelia’s body was subsequently discovered in the water sump on Sunday morning and was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for a postmortem examination.
Police further stated that Kumar allegedly contacted Das again around 4 am on Sunday from another number and repeated his ransom demand. Investigators traced the call to Patancheru, leading to his detention.
Accused Arrested, Murder Case Registered
During questioning, Kumar allegedly confessed to killing the child. He was formally arrested on Monday and produced before a court. Police have registered a murder case against him, and further investigation is underway.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of children in residential communities and the importance of effective security measures and background checks for personnel employed at gated complexes.
