Key Takeaways:

• Victim missing since Sunday morning
• Police suspect she was lured with chocolate, assaulted and killed
• 16-year-old van assistant and vehicle owner detained for investigation
• Sniffer dog and crime-scene team deployed; probe continues

BARA, AUGUST 19 A three-year-old girl who had been missing since Sunday morning was found dead inside an abandoned house in Bhaktinagar, Jitpur Simara-1, with police saying she was allegedly sexually assaulted and killed after being lured away. The victim, of Jitpur Simara-1, was reported missing on August 17. Police said their preliminary investigation found that she had been taken to the abandoned house, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted before being killed. Police have detained a 16-year-old magic-van assistant, Suman Thapa, of Jitpur Simara-2, in connection with the incident. Police said Thapa allegedly lured the girl with chocolate and took her to the location. Police have also detained Progress Chaudhary, 24, owner of the magic van bearing registration number Na 1 Ja 7758, for further investigation. Following the discovery of the body, a team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Dilip Chhetri of the Area Police Office, Simara, and Superintendent of Police Narendra Kunwar of the District Police Office, Bara, was mobilised to investigate the case. A trained sniffer dog brought from the Provincial Police Office, Parsa, and a specialised crime-scene investigation team were also deployed during the investigation. Police said further investigation into the incident is underway.