Villa Orchids Murder: Hand Him Over To Us Says Residents in Aureli Case

Five-year-old Aurelia Fernandes Moses, also known as Aureli or Monu, was found dead in a water sump at a clubhouse in Villa Orchids, Kowkoor, in Hyderabad’s Bollaram area. She went missing on Saturday evening during Bathukamma celebrations after heading towards the clubhouse.

Police recovered her body early Sunday from a sump in the clubhouse cellar. Her hands and legs were tied, and bricks or stones had been attached to her, according to the details shared about the case. Aurelia was the daughter of research scientist Milton Fernandes Moses.

Police arrested Vikram, a former security guard from Bihar, in connection with the killing. He had reportedly been removed from his job a day or two earlier following complaints about his conduct, including smoking. CCTV footage showed him following and taking the child, according to the case details.

Vikram allegedly made ransom calls demanding ₹20 lakh, including a call made using another security guard’s phone. The calls reportedly continued after Aurelia had been killed. Some residents and reports have raised a possible revenge motive, saying the girl’s grandfather was on the committee involved in the guard’s dismissal; police have not confirmed that motive in the information available.

Malkajgiri police, led by Commissioner B. Sumathi, questioned other security staff as they investigated the case. At a press conference on 12 October, residents of Orchid Villas demanded that police “hand him over to us.” Aurelia’s family called for severe punishment, and Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender visited the family and sought strict legal action.

The case has renewed concerns among residents about child safety and the vetting of security staff in gated communities. Police used CCTV footage and cellphone signals to trace the suspect and investigate Aurelia’s disappearance.