Ragpicker rapes 11-year-old inside public toilet, arrested

Surat: A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl inside a public toilet in Varachha area of Surat on Monday night.
The accused identified as Santosh Chauhan had reportedly lured the girl by offering her chocolates.
According to Varachha police, the rape survivor regularly went to help her mother, who picked garbage, which she sold for money. The accused Chauhan who is also a ragpicker was known to the girl.
The incident occurred at around 8.30 pm on Monday when the girl was busy picking garbage at a distance from her mother. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused lured her with chocolate and took her to a public toilet where he allegedly raped her.
When nearby shopkeepers saw the accused coming out from the toilet, they became suspicious. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother too arrived at the toilet complex and saw the minor crying for help.
A team of Varachha police station rushed to the spot and nabbed the accused who was identified by the girl and the shopkeepers. Chauhan was charged for rape and sexual assault under the Indian Penal Code and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.