Eight-year-old girl raped at private school's hostel in Bhopal, three booked; MP CM orders SIT probe

BHOPAL: An eight-year-old girl studying in Class 2 at a private school in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal was allegedly raped in its hostel, following which the police have registered a case against three unidentified persons, officials said on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the case, while the opposition Congress targeted his government over the incident and demanded harshest punishment for the culprits.

The police said they were trying to ascertain when the incident exactly took place.

"An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped at the girls' hostel of a city-based private school. Following a complaint in this regard, the police registered a case on Tuesday night against three persons under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376 (rape) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act," Misrod police station in-charge Manish Raj Bhadoria said.

The case was registered based on a complaint lodged by the girl's mother, he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shraddha Tiwari told PTI over phone that the accused are yet to be unidentified as the girl is not able to tell the police properly.

"We are moving forward carefully into the case considering the victim's age as she is mentioning some name and identifying the accused like dadhiwala (bearded man), etc. We will establish the identity of the accused after talking to the victim again. We will first carry out her medical examination and record the statement," she said.

Bhadoria said that although the physical appearance of the accused was mentioned in the FIR, their identity is not yet to be established.

When asked about the allegation that the girl was drugged before the crime, he said all these things will be clear once the investigation gets over.

"The process of carrying out the medical examination of the victim and recording her statement is underway," he said, adding that several police teams have been formed to collect the evidence related to the case.

On whether the clinical examination confirmed that the girl was raped, Bhadoria said a comprehensive report is awaited.

Replying to a query that injuries and swelling were found in the girl's private part during a medical examination conducted by doctors as per the request by the victim's mother, the police official said the complainant has made this allegation, but things will be clear after receiving a detailed medical examination.

Bhadoria said the CCTVs footage of the hostel has been recovered.

"The accused will be arrested once their identity is established," he said.

The office of chief minister said that taking cognisance of the matter, the CM ordered an SIT probe into the matter.

Congress leader and former chief minister Kamal Nath said the incident of brutality against a small girl in a school in Bhopal was heart-wrenching.

Just a few days ago, a case of rape of a small girl had come to light in Jobat (Alirajpur district) also, he said.

"This kind of atrocities against daughters in the state is a blot on the civilized society. But the unfortunate thing is that instead of providing security to the daughters and giving harshest punishment to the criminals, the Government of Madhya Pradesh takes action against those who express sympathy with the victims, which is evident by the case against the Congress leaders who went to meet the family of the victim in Jobat," he said.

Nath said the Bhopal incident should be investigated with sincerity and the culprits be given the strictest punishment.