16-year-old girl beheaded in Kodagu district; killer absconding with head

Madikeri: A 16-year-old girl was beheaded in Kumbaragadige village in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district on Thursday night by a 33-year-old man, who is absconding with the girl’s head.

Just after she got her SSLC results on Thursday, the minor girl was betrothed to the suspect Monnanda Prakash from Hammiyala village.

Acting on a tip-off, Child Protection Cell Officers stopped the engagement ceremony as the girl was a minor and took a written undertaking from the parents that girl would be married after she turns 18.

On the same night, Prakash barged into the girl’s house and tried to abduct her. When her parents tried to stop him, he attacked them with a machete and forcibly took the girl with him and fled into the forest. Later, he beheaded the girl and took the head with him.

Kodagu superintendent of police K Ramarajan said the exact reason for the act is not clear and dismissed as rumours reports on social media about the suspect ending his life. His whereabouts are not known and teams have been formed to track him down, the SP said.

The girl’s mother suffered severe injuries on her hand and has been admitted to a hospital in Mysuru while her father sustained minor injuries and has been admitted to the district government hospital, Madikeri.

A dog squad conducts an inspection in the forest area where the murder took place.

A machete was found in the forest and a dog squad was deployed to search the area.

Armed police have been stationed in the village. Cases have been filed under IPC 302, 307 and POCSO.

The girl used to walk five km to the school every day and was the only student in her school’s SSLC batch.