UPDATE: It was later reported that the victim was not raped, the police confirmed. The postmortem report has shown that the girl had not been raped, despite the social media claims. The claims circulating on social media that the victim’s eyes were gouged out and her arm amputated are also false. Also, the claim that acid was poured on her body, is untrue.

In a gut-wrenching incident, a two-and-a-half year old girl was strangled to death and her eyes gouged out after her parents reportedly failed to repay a loan of Rs 10,000. Police have arrested two accused in relation to the incident.

The incident took place in Tappal town in Uttar Pradesh. Media reports said the girl's body was found on June 2 in a dumping ground near her house, three days after she went missing.

The mutilated body was discovered after a pack of stray dogs had been spotted carrying what appeared to be human body parts.

Aligarh: Body of 2.5-year-old girl was found in Tappal area on May2. SSP Aligarh says,'Case of kidnapping was registered with police on May 31. Post-mortem report has revealed death by strangulation, no signs of rape, a case of personal enmity; 2 men arrested. Probe on' (05/06) pic.twitter.com/DP0HaUzHsI — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 6, 2019

According to the police, the two accused, identified as Zahid and Aslam, were neighbours of the girl who was murdered.

Initial investigations suggest a case of personal enmity as the police found evidence of a few monetary dealings. The murder is suspected to have been committed over an argument regarding a sum of money given as loan.

"A case of kidnapping was registered on May 31. The accused have been arrested and they have confessed to the crime.

bccl/representational image

It was a case of personal enmity and there is no sign of rape. The minor was strangled to death and her eyes were gouged out. The accused are in jail now," said Senior Superintendent of Police Aligarh, Akash Kulhari told IANS.

People on Twitter called for capital punishment for the rape accused:

The horrible,barbaric rape nd murder of 3 year old Twinkle Sharma by Mohammed Zahid who gouged her eyes,broken her hands, mutilated her body & poured acid on her and thrown out with the trash.They deserves the strictest & hardest punishment.Even Death penalty isn't enough for him pic.twitter.com/VChBZcqd4d — Natin Singh (@officialnatin7) June 6, 2019

A 3-yr-old girl Twinkle Sharma raped by a Zahid. He raped her, cut her up, gouged out her eyes, killed her & dumped her body.#JusticeForTwinkle #Aligarh

@AdityaRajKaul @Akhilkumarboxer pic.twitter.com/mqyyeRqY9Q — Rahul Pandit (@IMRahul_Pandit) June 6, 2019

A barbaric man named ZAHID brutally killed a 3-year-old girl TWINKLE

While her body was recovered,

it was completely decomposed with her eyes gouged out

Dear people who launched candle light protest during Kathua incident,

Even Twinkle is our daughter and let us ensure justice — Mahesh Vikram Hegde (@mvmeet) June 5, 2019

Every Indian is again angr due to barbaric rape and murder of 3yr old #Twinklesharma by Zahid who gouged her eyes,broken her hands,mutilated her body & poured acid on her and thrown out with the trash in the month of Ramzan.

capital punishment must b given to him. @narendramodi — sarthak (@sarthakkne02) June 6, 2019

The brutal murder of 3 year old Twinkle Sharma - strangled, eyes gouged out, doused in acid, hands broken and thrown out with the trash.

The accused Zahid is in custody and deserves the strictest punishment. For such animals even the death penalty isnt enough. #TwinkleSharma — Advaita Kala / अद्वैता काला (@AdvaitaKala) June 6, 2019

According to media reports, the family and relatives of the deceased had blocked roads in protest and had to be pacified by senior police officials.