Bhavanipuram police in Vizag on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old auto driver for allegedly molesting a minor girl as per a report in the New Indian Express.
The accused Yesu was a family friend and often visited their house. He had been a neighbour in the past, the report says.
The victim is a seven-year-old girl studying in class 3 and she was living with her grandparents.
When the auto driver arrived at the house on Saturday evening, he found the girl alone and lured her with chocolates before committing the crime.
The girl’s screams alerted her grandmother who arrived at the spot and found Yesu allegedly sexually assaulting the girl. Following this, she alerted her neighbours.
DCP Kranthi Rana told NIE, “Locals caught Yesu who tried to flee. They later handed him over to Bhavanipuram police.
A case has been registered under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the report adds.
Last month, a 16-year-old girl in Ranasthalam mandal, who had suffered alleged rape at the hands of her father for almost two years, finally spoke up, leading to his arrest.
The accused was thrashed by locals, before being arrested by the police.