A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a relative after he offered to take her for a ride on his motorbike, police have said. The alleged attack took place in Singrauli district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on October 23.
Police say the man took the girl and another child on his motorbike before travelling towards a cow shed in their village. He allegedly told the other child to wait outside before sexually assaulting the five-year-old inside. The man is also accused of threatening the girl and telling her not to reveal what had happened.
Family reports the attack
The family did not learn about the alleged attack until two days later, when the girl complained to her mother that she was in pain. The family then went to Waidhan police station on October 25 and reported the allegations.
Abhimanyu Dwivedi, the officer in charge of Waidhan police station, told the Times of India: “The incident took place on Oct 23, but since the survivor is a child, she could not comprehend and tell her parents about it.
“It was only on Oct 25, when her mother was bathing her, that she complained of pain. When questioned, she told her mother what had happened. They then rushed to the police station.”
Suspect arrested and sent to jail
The girl was taken to hospital for treatment before later being discharged. Police said she was in a stable condition.
Officers launched a search for the suspect after receiving the complaint. Mr Dwivedi said the suspect was arrested within hours and was later sent to jail.
Police have registered a case under several sections of India's Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the country's criminal code, as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, commonly known as POCSO.
