Six-year-old Dalit girl raped by neighbour, 40, in UP’s Bareilly

Bareilly: A six-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by her 40-year-old neighbour — father of three — under Hafizganj police limits in Bareilly district on Sunday evening.
The accused lured the girl with the promise of buying sweets, took her to a desolated place and raped her, said police.

The family came to know about the sexual assault after the girl complained of pain in her private parts, and they rushed her to a doctor, said police.
The girl’s family said the accused, a close acquaintance, had taken her out on the pretext of buying her sweets and dropped her back later in the evening. The family said they had never thought that the accused, who knew the girl since her birth, could sexually assault her.
The girl’s father accused police of delaying the registering an FIR that let the accused escape from the village. Police said the FIR was delayed because the case, initially, appeared to be a result of old rivalry.
After registering an FIR, police on Monday sent the girl to the district hospital for medical examination.
Investigating officer inspector Mahendra Singh, meanwhile, recorded statements of the parents and residents.
Additional superintendent of police (rural) Sansaar Singh said, “An FIR was registered immediately after the girl’s family approached police and the girl was taken to a community health centre. She was later referred to the district hospital, where her medico-legal examination was conducted. We have booked the accused under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and appropriate sections of the SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The accused is absconding, but he will be arrested soon.”