Nearly a year after a four-year-old girl was reported missing, Thane police arrested her uncle, Prathamesh Praveen Kambri (23), and aunt, Aparna Anil Makwana alias Aparna Prathamesh Kambri (22), for her murder. The couple, residents of Chinchwali in Raigad district, confessed to beating the child to death and disposing of her body in a deserted area, police said on Wednesday.

The case, initially filed as a kidnapping on October 6, 2024, following a complaint by the girl’s relative, Jyoti Satpute, saw a breakthrough on Monday when police, acting on a tip, apprehended the couple. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III, Kalyan), Atul Zende, revealed that the girl’s father, Rahul Ghadge, was incarcerated at the time, leaving her in the couple’s care. The child faced harsh treatment, and an incident of “innocent misbehavior” provoked Prathamesh to fatally assault her.

During interrogation, the couple admitted to wrapping the girl’s body in a sack, encasing it in a mattress, and dumping it in Chinchwadi Shivara at night. Despite extensive searches, only the victim’s skull was recovered, which has been sent for forensic analysis. The couple is in custody following a court order, with investigations ongoing to locate additional evidence.

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The case has shocked the community, highlighting issues of child safety and domestic violence. Police are probing whether neglect or other factors contributed to the tragedy, as the search continues for further remains to provide closure to the family.

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