Odisha: 12-year-old girl beaten to death for stealing marigold sapling, body hanged

The girl's parents had gone to Bhubaneshwar for some work leaving her at their neighbour's care. When they returned in the evening, they found the girl hanging from a tree in front of the house. Although the neighbour said that the girl committed suicide, her parents alleged that she was beaten to death for stealing a marigold sapling.

Mayurbhanj (Odisha):A 12-year-old girl was allegedly beaten to death for stealing a marigold sapling from her neighbour's backyard in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district on Wednesday, police said. After the incident, the body was allegedly hanged from a tree.

The girl's neighbour said that she had committed suicide after getting scolded for stealing. Her parents, however, accused the neighbour of killing their daughter. Police said investigations are underway.

The incident took place in Valuhurada village under Udla police station area of Mayurbhanj district. The deceased has been identified as Saraswati Hansda. According to Saraswati's mother Sita, she and her husband had left their daughter at the neighbour's house while they went to Bhubaneshwar for some work. When the couple returned to their village in the evening and went to their neighbour's house to collect their daughter, they found the girl hanging in front of the house.

Sita said she was told that Saraswati was caught stealing marigold sapling from their neighbour's backyard and had committed suicide by hanging from a tree. "The body had several injury marks and it is impossible for a young girl like her to end her life by suicide," Sita said demanding justice for her daughter.

Police said that the body has been sent for post-mortem and investigations are on to ascertain the reason behind the girl's death. "The girl's family has alleged that she was beaten to death by their neighbour for stealing a marigold sapling and then her body was hanged from a tree. We are waiting for the post-mortem report and action will be taken accordingly," an officer of Udala police station said.