Cops, residents on alert to track SoBo girl’s killer

MUMBAI: Four days after the body of Karishma Chavan was found at a desolate spot near Nariman Point, the police have reportedly made a sketch of the suspect and are showing it to kids in the neighbourhood in a bid to identify him.
Three-year-old Chavan’s body was found wrapped in a saree at an open space near Shiv Shakti Nagar. Police teams have also been showing the saree to residents of Shiv Shakti Nagar to find out if they have seen anyone using it.
Locals also told TOI that the open space, where the body was found, has been brightly illuminated from Sunday. “We intend to meet BEST officials on Monday and request for additional lights to prevent the reoccurrence of such an incident,” a resident said.
While Chavan’s body was found near in an open ground near Shiv Shakti Nagar, the toddler lived three kilometres away at Ambedkar Nagar, Colaba. She went missing on Tuesday from Sassoon Docks where she had gone with her grandmother. Her body was found on Wednesday.
Crime branch teams, making a parallel inquiry into the case, quizzed residents of Shiv Shakti Nagar on Sunday night. Moreover, to spread awareness, residents have themselves put up warning signs across Shiv Shakti Nagar asking people to be alert about the presence of strangers. An appeal has been made through the signboards, asking residents to probe every stranger that they come across and report him to the police if he gives suspicious answers.
The best police officers from the south region and those who were working on the Nehru Nagar serial rapes and murders in 2010 have been roped in to solve this case. Bandobast has been increased in south Mumbai following Chavan’s murder on Wednesday. “We are working on two things on a priority basis at the moment—detection and prevention. We are creating awareness among the people about not leaving their children alone, among other things,” a senior official said.