A five-year-old girl, who went missing while cycling inside a gated community in Kowkoor on Saturday (October 10), was found dead in a water tank in the cellar of the clubhouse, hours after her family received a ransom demand of ₹20 lakh. The police suspect the involvement of a former security guard, who is absconding.
The deceased, Aurelia, was the daughter of Milton Fernandes Moses, a research scientist residing at Villa Orchids gated community in Kowkoor.
According to the police, the girl routinely cycled to the games zone at the community clubhouse around 6 p.m. and returned home by 7 p.m. However, when she failed to return on Saturday evening, her family began searching for her.
In his complaint to the Bollarum police, Milton stated that he reached home around 7.45 p.m. and found his father visibly distressed after receiving a call from an unknown number. The caller had claimed that the child was in his custody.
Shortly afterwards, Milton received a call from the same number. The caller demanded ₹20 lakh as ransom and instructed the family to come to Secunderabad to collect the child.
Based on his complaint, the Bollarum police registered a case under Section 140(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to kidnapping for ransom, and launched a search operation.
Police initially treated the incident as a kidnap and searched across the gated community, Secunderabad railway station and nearby lodges. Drones were also deployed during the operation.
Investigators subsequently identified a former security guard, Vikram, as a suspect after his mobile phone’s last known location was traced to the vicinity of Secunderabad railway station. Moreover, CCTV footage from the gated community raised further suspicion. According to investigators, the residential complex had only one entrance, and the footage showed that Vikram was the only person who had walked out during the relevant period.
This prompted the police to intensify their search within the community itself. A thorough inspection of the clubhouse building eventually led investigators to a water tank in its cellar, where the child’s body was discovered.
Investigators suspect that the accused restrained the child by tying her hands and legs and stuffing cloth into her mouth before contacting her family to demand ransom. Police suspect that the girl was subsequently strangled when the accused feared being caught. However, the precise circumstances surrounding her death are yet to be established.
A clues team examined the scene and collected evidence before the body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The Bollarum police have launched a search for Vikram, who remains absconding. Investigators said further details about the sequence of events, the ransom demand and the circumstances surrounding the child’s death would emerge after his arrest.
Published – October 11, 2026 07:23 pm IST
