(representational image)

Madhya Pradesh: A 40-year-old man was arrested for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old hearing- and speech-impaired girl. The man, identified as Ramesh Khati, was previously acquitted in another case where a trial court had awarded him a death penalty. Khati has a history of multiple crimes and is a habitual offender.

According to reports, the 11-year-old girl went missing from her place on February 1. Her body was found the next morning in nearby bushes. Although she was taken to a Bhopal hospital, she died on February 8.

Also Read | Woman Gang-Raped In Front Of Husband And Child In Tamil Nadu

The police stated their team had questioned 418 suspects, including 382 laborers from the local mandi area, before identifying the accused, who had left the state by then. Reportedly, the accused was heading to the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and was caught on a train to Jaipur.

Aditya Mishra, Rajgarh Superintendent of Police, said that special teams searched nine districts from Ujjain to Prayagraj to find the accused.

“Seventeen railway stations were searched and nearly 400-plus CCTV footages scrutinized,” the Rajgarh SP said.

The police also added that the “process of ensuring the strictest punishment is being expedited.”

He was first arrested and found guilty in a rape case in 2003. Khati served a 10-year sentence. After his release, Khati was booked in a theft case in 2013. A year later, he was again booked in a POCSO case.

Also Read | Kharge Accuses BJP Of Voter List Manipulation, Criticises Modi’s US Visit

After a trial court sentenced him to death, the High Court overturned the judgment on technical grounds. The court observed that the victim’s father was present during the identification parade, which may have influenced the results.

The police said they were conducting DNA profiling and cross-matching to determine if he was linked to other unsolved cases.