Bhadrak, Sept 18: Mystery shrouded over the death of an eight-year-old girl, who had been missing since Saturday (September 18) after being allegedly kidnapped, after her body was recovered from a canal in Basudebpur municipality area of Odisha’s Bhadrak district on Thursday.

As per reports, the girl was playing with her sister near their home in Radhanathpur village on Saturday when she was reportedly abducted.

Thereafter, a police team, headed by Bhadrak Superintendent of Police Manoj Rout, along with the Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP), Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), and Inspectors from Basudebpur, Chudamani, and Nayakanidihi police stations, initiated a search operation to locate the missing girl.

Multiple teams, including the Odisha Rapid Action Force (ORAF) and the fire brigade, were deployed. Additionally, the police gathered various samples and reviewed CCTV footage in an effort to identify the perpetrator.

Eastern Range DIG Pinak Mishra visited the site to supervise the ongoing investigation on Wednesday.

After an extensive search operation, the girl's body was recovered, with authorities suspecting that she was murdered and dumped into the canal.

The police are exploring multiple leads and working diligently to identify the perpetrator.