The girls’ families, who filed a complaint on Monday, alleged that the accused had been sexually assaulting the children for the past two months. The girls’ families, who filed a complaint on Monday, alleged that the accused had been sexually assaulting the children for the past two months.

A 61-year-old scientist of the National Jalma Institute for Leprosy & Other Mycobacterial Diseases in Agra was arrested Tuesday on charge of raping two six-year-old girls, who lived in his neighbourhood. Vishnu Dutt Sharma, who heads the institute’s department of microbiology and molecular biology, was booked under IPC section 376 (rape) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and arrested from his house. He was produced in a court, which sent him to jail on Tuesday. The accused’s daughter, however, claimed that her father had been framed.

The girls’ families, who filed a complaint on Monday, alleged that the accused had been sexually assaulting the children for the past two months, said acting SHO of Tajganj police station, Vinod Singh. He added that the parents said the accused would often invite the girls to his home when he would see them playing outside. Circle Officer, Sadar area, Uday Raj Singh said, “The victims’ families have claimed that Sharma used to lure the girls to his house by promising them chocolates and then sexually harass them.”

Acting SHO Singh said, “On April 27, when one of the girls returned home late from Sharma’s house, her parents asked her why. The girl said that Sharma had sexually assaulted her. She also said that he used to do the same thing with another girl. Her family then contacted the parents of the other girl, who said the same thing. Two days later, the parents filed a police complaint.” Singh could not explain why the families waited two days to file the complaint.

The acting SHO further said that Sharma used to allegedly sexually harass the girls when he would return home for lunch, and his wife was at work. Sharma’s daughter said, “My father has been trapped in office politics and booked in a false case. He was due to retire in September and was also was holding the post of deputy director of the institute.”

The institute’s administration could not be reached for comment.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.