Vowing that he would not spare such people, the CM said he would take steps to make them tremble and the day an atrocity was committed against a woman “would be their last day”.

Vennelapalem/Tirupati: A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by her relative in a village in Tirupati district and Chief Minister. N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday warned that people who commit atrocities against women will be dealt with in a strict manner.

Reacting to the incident while launching a scheme in Anakapalli district, he said, “There are some rogues in the society. Horrible people. Are they men or animals?… If the law permits, a few of them should be hanged in the middle of the road. Only then will they be afraid.” Vowing that he would not spare such people, the CM said he would take steps to make them tremble and the day of committing an atrocity against a woman “will be their last day”.

Naidu further warned that those people who see women as a source of entertainment are in for strict punishment.

According to Tirupati District Superintendent of Police L Subbarayudu, Nagaraju (24), who is the victim’s maternal uncle, lured the girl to a secluded place in AM Puram village by offering her snacks on Friday evening and committed the murder.

“Nagaraju lives near the girl’s house and used to play with her every day. Yesterday (Friday) evening he took her to a shop and bought some snacks. He later took her from her house and sexually assaulted her and killed her,” he told PTI. Later, the girl’s parents noticed that she was missing and searched for her and learned that she was last seen with Nagaraju. They filed a complaint with the police. The police immediately registered a missing case and took Nagaraju into custody. During interrogation, the accused confessed to the act, they said.

Police later took Nagaraju to search for the girl’s body and found it near a government school around 9 pm on Friday.

Nagaraju was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) and other relevant sections.

The accused will be produced before a local court on Saturday.

Tirupati SP said they will seek a fast track court for speedy trial of the case.

Meanwhile, an official statement said that Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha will visit the minor girl’s family and hand over a check of Rs 10 lakh free of charge.