Chh'garh: Three-year old 'sexual assualt' victim still critical, Congress forms panel

Raipur April 15 (IANS) The main opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh has constituted a seven-member investigative panel to address a harrowing incident involving the sexual assault of a three-year-old girl by her thirteen-year-old neighbour in Raipur’s Civil Lines police station (Pandari) area.

The child, discovered in critical condition, was rushed to the hospital by her family, where she remains under intensive care.

A Congress state unit representative confirmed her condition is still precarious.

State Congress President Deepak Baij has taken swift action by forming a committee composed entirely of women leaders to probe the matter thoroughly by digging into the facts through discussions with family members and neighbours.

Chhaya Verma, a former Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament) member, has been appointed as the coordinating member of the panel.

Other members include; Anita Sharma, a former legislator from Dharsiwa; Deepti Dubey, ex-Mayor of Raipur; Sangita Dubey, Secretary of the State Congress Unit; Vandana Rajput, State Congress Spokesperson; Pragati Vajpayee, General Secretary of the State Congress Unit; and Mamata Rai, President of the Women Congress Unit (Urban).

Baij has directed the committee to compile a detailed report on the incident and submit their findings promptly. The accused, a thirteen-year-old boy, is currently in police custody.

According to preliminary reports, the victim and the perpetrator were acquainted, as their families are neighbours and belong to the same community.

The alleged “sexual assault” occurred when the child, who had been sleeping beside her mother, woke up and stepped outside.

She was later found crying, with visible signs of distress and stained clothing. Her mother and neighbours alerted the police, ultimately handing the accused over to the authorities.

This incident follows another tragic case during the Navratri festivities, where a six-year-old girl was brutally assaulted and murdered, allegedly by her uncle. The child had attended a ceremonial feast known as ‘Kanya Bhoj’ with other children.

Reports suggest the accused not only sexually assaulted her but also electrocuted her to death before disposing of her body in a neighbour’s car to misdirect suspicion.

The case sparked widespread protests across the state, with the victim’s parents expressing doubts about the police’s narrative implicating the uncle.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) paints a grim picture of Chhattisgarh, where sexual violence against minors remains alarmingly prevalent.

Many of these cases involve perpetrators who are either relatives or acquaintances of the victims. Raipur, along with other districts, has been identified as particularly unsafe for young girls.

--IANS

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