Nine-year-old girl raped by first cousin, 19-year-old accused arrested

Surat: A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her first cousin, who works in a diamond unit in the Katargam area. The police arrested the 19-year-old accused, who is the son of the survivor's aunt (father's sister).
On Sunday, the girl's parents went shopping, leaving her at home with her seven-year-old brother. The neighbours, aware that the parents were out, noticed unknown footwear outside the girl's house.Seeing through the partially open window, they knocked on the door and asked her brother about the whereabouts of his parents. As the boy seemed uncomfortable, the neighbours tried to see through the partially opened window. To their shock, they saw the accused committing the crime.
The neighbours immediately called her parents and found the girl traumatised. The parents confronted the teenager, who reportedly confessed to them, and he left after they severely reprimanded him. After deliberations with the family members, the girl's father lodged a complaint against his nephew with the Chowk Bazar police station.
The accused works in a diamond cutting and polishing unit, police said, adding that the girl's father also works as an artisan. In the complaint, he stated that his sister lives in the Kapodara area. On Sunday evening, the 19-year-old and the girl's uncle came to their house. After snacks, the girl's uncle and parents went shopping in the Dhruvtarak Market while her brother and the accused stayed at home.
Chowk Bazar police inspector VV Vagadiya told TOI: "Looking at the seriousness of the crime, we sent the SHE teams and surveillance team upon receiving the call on Sunday night. We gathered the CCTV footage and other evidence and arrested the teenager from Kapodra. We have booked the accused under relevant BNS and Pocso sections."
54-year-old accused of raping minor neighbour
A 17-year-old minor filed a rape complaint against her 54-year-old neighbour, alleging that he drugged and assaulted her in 2022 at a secluded location. The accused lured her into his car while she was returning home from school. The minor also claimed that the man raped her again by forcefully entering her house, with assistance from his son, who covered her mouth. On October 13, the accused allegedly molested her, prompting the girl to file a complaint with the Sarthana police.