PATNA: In two separate incidents, a seven-year-old and an eight-year-old minor girls were allegedly raped in Patna and Gopalganj.
The first incident took place under the Airport police station area in Patna at around 8pm on Tuesday and the accused youth was arrested in the next few hours.
The Gopalganj incident took place on March 28 evening but was reported to police on Tuesday evening. The accused, who is also the victim’s grandfather in close relation, was arrested at around 4am on Wednesday. Parents of both victims are daily wagers.
When asked, Patna Women’s police station SHO (in-charge) Anchala Kumari told this newspaper over the phone on Wednesday that the victim, aged around seven years, was playing colours along with several others near her residence when she was taken away to a secluded lane by a neighbouring youth.
“The accused has been identified as Dharmendra Kumar, aged around 20 years. He is uneducated and unemployed. The accused had inserted fingers in the minor’s private part,” she said.
SHO said that the girl started crying which attracted the attention of another elderly girl near the spot.
“The elder girl saw the accused involved in the wrong act with the minor. Dharmendra threatened her and fled from the spot,” she said.
She said that the minor soon went home and narrated the entire incident to her mother with help of the elder girl.
“The family approached police by 8pm and in the next couple of hours, the accused was arrested from his residence,” she said.
SHO said that the victim’s mother has lodged FIR with Women’s police station in connection with the incident.
“Process of medical examination and recording statement become a judicial magistrate is underway,” she said.
Meanwhile when asked, Gopalganj Women’s police station SHO Afshan Perween said that the eight-year-old minor victim’s medical examination and step of recording her statement before a judicial magistrate was completed on Tuesday night.
“The accused in Diwakar Tiwari, aged around 50 years. He is a victim’s neighbour at the village which falls under Kuchaikot police station area. The accused is also grandfather in relation with the victim,” she said.
Perween said that it was around 5.30pm on March 28 when the incident took place.
“The girl was playing in front of her residence in the village. Diwakar called her and took her to a distant place where he inserted fingers in her private parts,” she said.
SHO said that the victim’s father approached Women’s police station at around 7pm on Tuesday.
“He didn’t cite any specific reason for delay in approaching police. However, police have come to know that the matter was attempted to be resolved by holding meetings at village level but things didn’t materialise,” she said.
Perween said that further investigation is going on in connection with the case and police would soon file chargesheet against the accused.
(The victims' identity has not been revealed to protect their privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)