A three-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her 16-year-old neighbour on July 18 in a locality in Talaghattapura police station limits, but the matter was reported to the police only on Tuesday.
The perpetrator of the crime is said to be a relative of a gram panchayat member, and is absconding.
The victim had undergone heart surgery three months ago. Her parents earn their livelihood by working as labourers.
According to the police, the victim’s mother realised that her daughter was missing on the afternoon of July 18. When she went around trying to trace her daughter, she found her in a house in the neighbourhood with a 16-year-old boy.
The girl was reportedly nude and was crying. The boy claimed that he had brought her home to give her a biscuit and had helped her undress as she wanted to use the washroom.
When the girl complained of pain the next day, the parents took her to a private hospital. The doctors confirmed that the girl was sexually assaulted.
But the parents did not report the matter to the police immediately as the gram panchayat member related to the 16-year-old intervened and tried to make peace with them. However, the parents lodged a police complaint on Tuesday.
Superintendent of Police, Ramanagaram, Anupam Agrawal said the three-year-old victim was subjected to medical examination at a private hospital on Mysore Road on Tuesday, and the report is awaited. Efforts are on to trace the accused, he added.
