A three-year-old girl, who had gone to watch a cultural event on Dussehra along with her grandfather, was allegedly raped by a man in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district on Wednesday, police said.
The accused, identified as Durgesh Patel (40), has been arrested, they said.
The incident took place at around 2 am in a village under Kawardha City Kotwali police station limits when the victim, along with her grandfather, had gone to watch a cultural programme held on the occasion of Dussehra, Kabirdham Additional Superintendent of Police Harish Rathore said.
As per a complaint lodged by the minor’s grandfather, while the programme was underway, he went to a nearby house to fetch water for the child and on returning, found her missing, the ASP said.
He later heard the girl’s cries from a house and rushed there and found the man holding the victim, the police officer said.
An investigation revealed the accused had allegedly assaulted her sexually, Mr Rathore said.
A case was registered under section 376 AB (rape on a woman under 12 years of age) of the IPC and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the accused was arrested, he added.
