Horror as man rapes and kills girl, 9, near popular festival

A nine-year-old girl has been raped and killed while celebrating a festival with her family. The girl had come with her family to Mysuru, in southwest India, to sell balloons during Dasara, a major Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of good over evil. Eight members of her family had been sleeping in a temporary shed in front of the Dasara Exhibition Grounds on the night of October 8, 2025, when the girl went missing.

Horror as man rapes and kills girl, 9, near popular festival

TL;DR

  • A nine-year-old girl was raped and murdered while her family sold balloons at the Dasara festival in Mysuru, India.
  • The girl went missing from a temporary shed where her family was sleeping and was found dead the next morning.
  • Police arrested a 32-year-old man, Karthik, within 24 hours using CCTV and technical evidence.
  • Karthik was found guilty of kidnap, rape, and murder and sentenced to death by hanging.
  • The incident highlights ongoing concerns about women's safety in India, despite stricter legislation introduced after the 2012 Nirbhaya case.