SURAT: A 17-year-old teenager held for molesting a three-year-old girl was sentenced to community service at an old-age home for one month. The teenager was released on probation and his parents were told to make sure he doesn’t get involved in any criminal activity for the next two years, a juvenile court announced on June 1.
A resident of the southern part of the city, the teenager was arrested in 2016 for sexually assaulting a minor who lived in a neighbouring house. The boy was 15 years old at the time.
According to police, the teenager dragged the three-year-old girl into some bushes when she was playing near her home on March 11, 2016 at around 8.30pm. Some other children playing in the area saw him drag the girl into the bushes.
They called adults from the houses nearby and rescued the child. However, the perpetrator escaped from the spot. The parents of the little girl then lodged a complaint with police. The little girl’s statement was also recorded during the investigation and the accused was arrested soon after the complaint was lodged.
“The medical examination of the victim did yield prosecutable evidence and no scientific evidence was found. However, he was found guilty based on the statements of eyewitnesses. The court punished him with social service at the old-age home,” said Bakul Parajiya, the assistant public prosecutor.
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