india

Updated: May 29, 2019 07:39 IST

A 15-year-old boy was detained on Tuesday for allegedly raping a nine-month-old girl in Rajasthan’s Karauli district two days ago, police officials familiar with the matter said.

According to Hindaun Government Hospital’s principal medical officer, Dr Namo Narayan Meena, the toddler was brought to the hospital on Sunday night with injuries to her private parts, which suggests she was raped. “Prima facie, it looked like a case of sexual assault so we asked the family to inform the police,” he said, adding that the child is now out of danger.

A team of medical personnel also conducted a test on the minor to establish rape, hospital authorities said. The incident is the latest in a long list of horrible crimes against children, which prompted the government to clear amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) on December 28, 2018, providing for death penalty for aggravated assault.



A total of 5,913 cases of crimes against children, including 3,897 cases of rape and 1,877 cases of sexual harassment, were reported in Rajasthanbetween January 2015 and December 2017, according to data by the home department. In its reply to the assembly, the department said Alwar reported the most number of child rape cases (85) during the period, followed by Udaipur (75), and Jaipur Rural (65). There has been a rise in crimes against juveniles, with 2,126 such cases registered in 2017 against 1,962 in 2016 and 1,825 in 2015.

According to the FIR, the accused, who stays in the same locality as the child’s family, took her away on Sunday on the pretext of playing with her and sexually assaulted her. “We filed a case after her medical examination. The accused was detained on Tuesday,” said Hindaun City SHO Roop Singh.