Police have begun investigation into the matter and are looking for a man who was earlier employed as a guard in the society, and was captured on CCTV camera following the girl. (Representational mage generated by AI)Around 6.30pm on Saturday, a boy went down to the basement of his society’s clubhouse in Secunderabad where his five-year-old sister was playing.She told her brother that she would be back in 10 minutes.The boy left for home.Few hours later, the girl’s body was found in the basement of the same upscale society, only a short distance away from where she was last seen alive.Police have begun investigation into the matter and are looking for a man who was earlier employed as a guard in the society, and was captured on CCTV camera following the girl.“Everyday she used to go and play in the clubhouse basement at 6 pm. She rode a cycle to the clubhouse daily,” G Ramesh, ACP, Trimulgherry, told The Indian Express.The siblings lived in an upscale, gated housing society in Secunderabad where it is normal for children to venture out alone.“When she was playing in the basement, her elder brother was asked to fetch her. She told him she would be back in 10 minutes,” Ramesh said.When the girl did not return even by 7pm, the family went searching for her.At 7.45 pm, the child’s grandfather received a ransom call from an unknown number demanding Rs 20 lakh against her release.“Despite that, they kept searching for the child and informed the police at 9pm. We went there and checked the CCTV and found that one man was following the child,” Ramesh said.Story continues below this adPolice said though the suspect had been fired, he continued being in touch with other security guards. He used the SIM of one of the guards to make the ransom call, they added.“He called her grandfather using the SIM card of another security guard. So we narrowed down on this suspect,” Ramesh said.A case has been registered for kidnapping and murder at the police station concerned.Meanwhile, an audio clip of the call, during which the demand for ransom was made, went viral.Story continues below this adPolice said the suspect was employed as a security guard at the society, which only housed villas, for the past two years.Police have launched a search operation to trace the accused and formed 10 special teams for the purpose, Ramesh said. His phone was last located near Secunderabad Railway Station after which it was switched off.The police had earlier searched for him near the station premises. Searches were also conducted with drone cameras during the night. Lodges and hotels around Secunderabad Railway Station were also checked.Police have completed the post mortem examination and have handed over the girl’s body back to her bereaved family members.Story continues below this ad“We have not ruled out sexual assault. So, we have sent vaginal swabs to the Forensic Science Laboratory,” Ramesh said.Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More Tags:Hyderabad