Police to probe if Zainab was raped before killed by abductor

Investigators are probing if the three-year-old girl, who was found dead after being allegedly kidnapped, was first raped before being killed by the accused at suburban Goregaon, a senior official said here on Monday.

The naked and highly decomposed body of the girl, identified as Zainab Amjed Khan, was found in an electric meter box cabin at Mhada colony on Sunday, five days after a kidnapping case was registered in Goregaon police station.

"Her vaginal swabs have been sent for forensic tests. We are investigating if the accused raped and then killed her as Zainab was found naked," Deputy Police Commissioner Makarand Ranade said.

Meanwhile, the person arrested in this case Shekhar Keer (38) was today produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody till May 16.

Keer, a former member of Arun Gawli gang, had earlier too allegedly kidnapped and murdered a minor girl in April 2007. He was arrested but later secured bail, police said.

Keer faces 14 cases registered against him including murder, attempt to murder and extortion, police said.

Keer had similarly kidnapped and murdered a minor girl Meghna Antali in April 2007 whose body had been found at suburban Nalasopara. He had been arrested but later he was out on bail, police said.

"He had attempted to rape Antali then. In this case, we are awaiting medical reports," the officer added. They are yet to establish the motive behind the crime, police said adding that the accused had lured Zainab with a chocolate and took her away while she was playing outside her house on May 5.

"Keer's elder brother Uday had been killed in a police encounter a few years ago," the police said adding that further investigation is on.