Sivasagar:
A 48-year-old man from Bihar has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl multiple times in her home in Assam’s Sivasagar, police said.
The accused, a fast-food vendor from Samastipur district of Bihar, lived in a rented house in the same neighbourhood as the survivor. He was arrested on Friday evening with the help of locals.
According to police, the girl’s parents are daily-wage labourers and leave for work each morning, leaving their eldest daughter to care for her younger siblings. The accused exploited this routine to gain entry into the house.
“The accused took advantage of the absence of her parents and allegedly raped her multiple times at her residence,” said Moidul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police, Sivasagar.
The matter came to light on Friday when the girl complained of severe abdominal pain. Her family took her to a hospital and later lodged a complaint at the Sivasagar police station in the afternoon.
Police registered a case under Section 65(1) of the BNS, which deals with rape of girls under 16 years, and Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The accused was initially on the run. However, locals tracked him down and handed him over to the police.
“After we came to know about the incident, we caught him and handed him over. We demand strict punishment for him, and we stand with the survivor’s family,” said a resident, who was part of the search.
Islam said the accused has been produced before a court and his statement has been recorded.
The survivor is currently undergoing treatment. Police said her medical examination has been ordered and her statement will be recorded under court supervision once she recovers.
“She is still not in a condition to give her statement. We are waiting for her to stabilise,” the official said.
