Mysuru, October 09: The Mysuru Dasara festival, celebrated with grandeur through various exhibitions, entertainment by art troupes, wrestling, and food fairs, captivated the public. However, amidst this festivity, a horrific crime has taken place. The naked body of a 10-year-old girl, who had come to sell balloons at the Dasara exhibition ground, was found, and police suspect she was raped and murdered.

During the Dasara festival, over 50 families from the Hakkipikki community in Kalaburagi arrived in Mysuru for balloon trading. They had set up tents along the roads near Doddakere Maidan for a few days. After the Teppotsava at Chamundeshwari Temple on Wednesday, they were preparing to move elsewhere on Thursday. However, on Tuesday night, after finishing her work and sleeping with her parents, the girl went missing by morning. Following a search, her body was discovered 50 meters from the tent near a pile of soil.

On the morning of October 09, around 6:30 AM, the girl’s body was found in a ditch beside the tent, completely unclothed. Family members and police believe she was raped and murdered. Two days prior, another brutal murder had occurred in a different part of the same location. The occurrence of two murders at the same site within two days has sparked widespread concern. Mysuru police immediately launched an investigation upon discovering the girl’s body. A canine unit was deployed, and CCTV footage was reviewed.

One video revealed the suspect’s identity, identified as Karthik (31), a resident of Siddalingapura. Karthik had previously served two years in jail for another case and was released just four months ago. Instead of returning to his village, he reportedly roamed around intoxicated. Based on CCTV evidence, the police successfully identified the suspect. Over 50 members of the Hakkipikki community have been questioned, and the investigation is ongoing.