Ex-security guard arrested for murdering 5-year-old girl in Kowkoor over ₹20,000 ransom

A former security guard who allegedly kidnapped and murdered a five-year-old girl before hiding her body in a water well in a gated residential community in Kowkoor has been arrested by the Malkajgiri police within 24 hours of reporting the crime. The accused had planned to extort ₹20 lakh from the child’s parents but decided to kill her after realizing that holding her captive until the ransom was paid would be difficult, police said.

The accused Vikram Kumar, a native of Bihar’s Nalanda district, was working as a security guard at Villa Orchids, the same residential community where victim Aurelia, also known as Monu, lived with her family from September 22 to October 6, 2026. His employment at the campus ended just four days before the incident.

The victim was the daughter of Milton Fernandes Moses (44), a scientist. The family lived in Villa Orchids, behind Janapriya Apartments in Kowkoor.

According to Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B. Sumathi, Aurelia, who studied in PP-2, usually rode her bike around 6 pm and played in the play zone near the clubhouse before returning home by 7 pm. However, she did not return home on Saturday (October 10, 2026).

When her father returned from work around 7:45 p.m., he learned from the father that an unknown person had called the family saying that the child was in his care. Shortly thereafter, Milton received a call from the same mobile number, with the caller demanding ₹20 lakh as ransom and claiming to be in Secunderabad.

Based on his complaint, the Bolarum police registered a case of kidnapping and launched a search operation. Ten special teams consisting of personnel from Malkajgiri Zone, Special Operations Team, Crime Squad and Special Branch have been deployed to search for the child.

Investigators tracked the mobile number, call records, CCTV footage and other technical evidence. When an initial search yielded no results, police intensified their search of the residential community, including the clubhouse and surrounding areas.

“During the search, the child’s body was discovered inside a water tank in the basement of the clubhouse. Forensic teams examined the scene to determine the circumstances of her death,” the commissioner said.

The investigation subsequently led the police to Vikram Kumar. Police scrutinized his employment records, Kowkoor residency details, previous work history and association with his roommates before tracking him down.

“He was arrested around 4.30 pm on Sunday (October 11). During interrogation, he confessed to murdering the child as part of a plan to demand ₹20,000 from her parents,” a police officer said.

According to investigators, Vikram entered the gated residential community at around 6:40 pm on October 10 with the intention of kidnapping the girl and demanding ransom.

The commissioner added that he wanted to get rich and was not willing to continue working as a laborer. He then devised a plan to kidnap the child and get a substantial amount of money from her family.

However, when he took the girl, he realized that holding her captive until the family paid the ransom would be difficult. He then decided to kill her and hide her body in a water pit, believing that the basement of the clubhouse was rarely visited by residents.

Police said his formal arrest took place on Monday (October 12) and that he was arraigned. Investigators said they will end the investigation as soon as possible and start the case in an expedited trial, which will seek the death penalty for the accused.

Residents gather at the commissioner’s office and demand justice

Meanwhile, families living in Villa Orchids gathered at Malkajgiri Police Commissioner’s office in Begumpet, demanding justice for the child and strict action against those responsible for these crimes. They demanded strict procedure and death penalty for the accused.

Residents have expressed concern about the safety of children in gated communities, pointing out that many parents leave their children at home while they go to work.

They said the killing raised serious questions about the safety of children even in residential complexes where security personnel are deployed and access to outsiders is regulated.

The families urged the police to crack down on such offenders, stressing that parents should not fear for their children’s safety when they are away at work.

The police are calling for a background check on security personnel

Following the incident, the Malkajgiri police urged residents and welfare associations to step up screening of security guards, domestic helpers and watchmen.

The police have called on gated communities to participate in the Mee Suraksha domestic help verification initiative and Nenu Saitham 2.0 CCTV surveillance programme.

According to police, an information session was earlier held in the same residential community encouraging residents to register details of domestic helpers, security personnel and security guards.

Police emphasized that gated communities cannot rely solely on access control and security personnel for protection, and that housing security requires thorough background checks, resident vigilance, and coordination between housing associations and the police.

The Malkajgiri police also announced that personnel involved in the investigation and arrest of the accused within 24 hours will be suitably rewarded.

Published – 12 Oct 2026 14:41 IST