Himachal: 10-year-old girl assaulted, molested on Raksha Bandhan

A minor girl was allegedly molested and assaulted by an unidentified man in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Raksha Bandhan. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO Act, while raids are underway to apprehend the accused

Nahan: A minor girl was allegedly molested and assaulted in Poanta Sahib area of Himachal’s Sirmaur district on Raksha Bandhan by an unidentified man, and the police registered a case and initiated a search for the absconding accused.

Following a complaint from the minor’s mother, a case has been opened under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act, police said on Sunday.

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According to police, the girl’s mother went to Vikasnagar in Uttarakhand for some work on the evening of Raksha Bandhan. When she returned home around 7 pm, she found that neither her daughter nor her son was at home.

Her son returned alone at approximately 10 pm. When asked about his sister, he stated that she had been with him but had suddenly disappeared. The family then began searching for the girl.

The family claims that a man lured the girl under the pretence of introducing her to his wife, and took her to a secluded area on his two-wheeler where he allegedly assaulted her.

Three local youths allegedly heard a girl screaming in the fields near the Yamuna Vihar area of Poanta. When they reached the location, they saw a man holding the girl. Upon noticing the youths approaching, the accused fled the scene, leaving his two-wheeler behind. The youths then brought both the girl and the vehicle to the Paonta police station.

According to the girl’s statement, she was playing with her brother outside the Poanta Sahib Gurdwara when a young man approached her and took her to a secluded area. Later, the three nearby youths heard her screams and came to her rescue.

Sirmour SP NS Negi confirmed that a case has been registered, and raids are ongoing to apprehend the suspect. The investigation is currently underway.