Just a day after the rape of a 9-year-old in Guntur district’s Dachepalli which sparked massive protests, another shocking rape of a minor has come to light in Andhra Pradesh. A five 5-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 15-year-old juvenile on Friday, said the police.
The incident occurred in a village in West Godavari district.
According to the police, the juvenile lured her to the toilet of a local school and raped her, while three of his friends allegedly stood guard outside.
The incident came to light after the child returned home and her parents noticed she was bleeding. When questioned by her parents, she told them what happened.
The victim's family lodged a complaint with the police, who picked up the boys in question. However, no case was registered as the families of the accused as the families of the accused are reportedly looking to settle the matter between themselves and the victim’s family.
This crime has striking similarities to the Dachepalli incident, where a 9-year-old was raped by a 50-year-old rickshaw puller, Mannem Subbaiah. When the child returned home, she complained of stomach pain and her mother noticed she was bleeding severely. When asked, the child told her the entire story. She is currently being treated in the Guntur district hospital.
Meanwhile, Mannem Subbaiah allegedly committed suicide on Friday. In his last phone conversation, he expressed remorse over the incident.
He said, “My son cannot live with the shame of what I have done, I have a grown-up child as well...I haven’t done anything good, I should not be alive.”
Residents of Dachepalli, outraged by the incident, blocked roads, vandalized the house of Subbaiah and called for a bandh. As things spun out of control, security forces had to be deployed.
Guntur police had filed a case under IPC 376 (punishment for rape) as well as Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against him.
With IANS inputs