Members of a non-government organisation, who were conducting a health camp in Thubarahalli, Maratahalli on December 5, have uncovered a case of a minor girl who was allegedly raped by an acquaintance a month ago.
The victim, who worked as a babysitter, lives with her two sisters and mother. When she attended the health camp, Sajida Begum, who worked with the NGO, Aasra, observed that the girl was suffering from severe stomach ache and breathing problems.
She contacted a member of the NGO Swaraj India, Kaleemullah, who took the girl to Bowring hospital. The doctors, after examining the girl, said that she had been raped.
Based on the medico-legal report, the Parappana Agrahara Police on Tuesday took up a case and arrested the accused, Shaju. He has been charged under various section of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and also under section 366A of the Indian Penal Code.
The victim told the police that she was returning home after work on November 9, when the accused, who is known to her family, approached her and offered to drop her home.
“In her statement, she said that he took her to an isolated place and raped her. When she resisted, he assaulted her with a branch of a tree and threatened to kill her mother and two sisters if she did not cooperate. He dropped the victim at her friend’s house the next day,” said the police.
Meanwhile, when the victim did not return home, her mother tried to call her on her mobile phone but she was not reachable. However, Shaju called the worried mother claiming that his bike had broken down while he was giving her daughter a ride, and that he would drop her off in the morning.
When she returned home, the victim narrated her ordeal to her mother. Fearing that she would be harmed again, the family moved to another location, which was where they met Ms. Sajida.
