By IANS,
Vadakara (Kerala) : A man, who allegedly raped and then strangulated to death a nine-year-old school girl, was sent to judicial custody till July 9 by a city court Wednesday.
Payoli’s First Class Judicial Magistrate Wednesday sent Mayan, 45, to the Vadakara sub jail in north Kerala’s Kozhikode district.
State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on the floor of the Kerala Assembly Tuesday that the incident was a shame for the state.
Keralites were shocked when the body of Shahana, 9, who went missing Monday from her school during lunch break, was found on the terrace of a nearby house. The body was found stuffed in a sack and kept among firewood.
She was a student of Cherandathur Mappila Lower Primary School near Payoli. Students of the school were reportedly disturbed at the incident and would be given counselling, school authorities said.
Initially, Mayan feigned ignorance but during the search for the missing girl, her sandals were found in his home.
Villagers caught hold of Mayan and handed him over to the police. They set his home on fire.