11-year-old girl raped by autorickshaw driver; accused held

Barwani (MP): An 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an autorickshaw driver in Sendhwa town of Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani district, an official said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night and the police have arrested the 35-year-old accused, he said. The episode triggered protests with people demanding strict action against the accused. “The victim had accompanied her mother to a city hotel, where the latter works.

After completing her tasks, when the woman stepped out, she could not find her daughter there. She finally approached the police after her daughter was nowhere to be found,” Superintendent of Police Puneet Gehlot said.

The police then launched a search operation and later found the girl on the premises of a local fort, he said, adding that her medical examination confirmed that she has been raped. On the basis of evidence and information provided by the girl, the police arrested the accused, he said.

After the information about the incident of rape spread across the city, a group of people staged a road blockade and closed the market demanding action against the accused.

Some organisations also held protests at a local police station demanding that the house of the accused be pulled down as a mark of punishment. Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Saraf said he assured the protesters of strict action against the accused.

A team of the local municipality has taken measurements of the house of the accused and further action will be taken on the basis of its report, he said.