Andhra Class 2 girl rape-murder suspect found dead in lake after days on the run

• Prime suspect in Andhra child rape-murder found dead in lake
• Protests erupt, highways blocked after news of the crime
• Case to be fast-tracked, family assured of swift justice

Did our AI summary help?

In a dramatic escalation to a case that has ignited public fury across Andhra Pradesh, Kulvardhan (30), the prime suspect in the brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl, was found dead on Wednesday in Kanasanivaripalle Lake, Kurabalakota. Police have reportedly confirmed the death was a suicide.

The accused had been evading authorities since Tuesday, when the child's body was discovered stuffed inside a water drum in his residence in the Neerugattuvaripalli area of Madanapalle town. His body was recovered from the lake on Wednesday morning, after which police transported the remains to Madanapalle for post-mortem and further procedural formalities.

The investigation had intensified following the discovery of the minor's body. The victim, a Class 2 student, was reported missing on Monday evening after she went out to play near her home. Her family lodged a complaint with police around 7 pm.

The critical breakthrough came from CCTV footage analysed by officers, which allegedly captured Kulvardhan luring the child into his home. However, in a significant oversight, police who visited the suspect's house around 1.30 am left the scene after observing him asleep through a window.

According to police sources, Kulvardhan, described as a drug and alcohol addict, first assaulted the child before drowning her. Preliminary reports suggested the murder may have occurred on Sunday night or Monday, though authorities are awaiting the official post-mortem results to confirm the exact timeline and the nature of the assault.

News of the heinous crime sent shockwaves through the community, sparking volatile protests. Hundreds of angry residents and relatives of the victim gathered, with tensions escalating rapidly. Demonstrators blocked major highways leading to Bengaluru and Tirupati, causing hours of traffic disruption across the region.

A sit-in protest was staged outside the Madanapalle police station, where the victim's parents made an emotional demand that the accused be handed over to the public for immediate punishment. The situation prompted a heavy police deployment to prevent the crowd from storming the suspect's house or attacking the police station.

The child's body was been shifted to the government hospital for autopsy and the district administration has assured the grieving family that the case will be fast-tracked to ensure justice.