The man arrested for sexually assaulting and murdering a 10-year-old Bhandup girl last week had allegedly attempted to kidnap another girl a week before that, the police said on Tuesday. Police sources said Ajit Kumar had tried to kidnap a girl in Wadala on November 2 but failed when the girl began to cry. Also, after abducting and killing the Bhandup girl on November 5, he returned to the same area to search for a new target on November 8.

Working as a waiter in a Ghatkopar bar, Kumar also lived on the premises. Having come to the city from his native place in north India 10 years ago, he did all sorts of odd jobs before securing a job at the bar. "He is a very secretive person, not willing to make conversation. He doesn't even have any friends at the bar," said an officer on condition of anonymity, adding, "His colleagues told us he rarely spoke to anyone and used to leave the bar every morning under the pretext of some work."

Ajit Kumar seen hovering around some children playing in Bhandup from where he had kidnapped the 10-year-old girl