A deeply disturbing incident has come to light in Vadodara today. A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered at the Fatehgunj Police Station, Vadodara following allegations of sexual assault on a minor girl.
According to the official complaint filed by the survivor’s family, the incident took place earlier today, January 8, between noon and 2:00 PM in a residential locality under the Fatehgunj Police Station jurisdiction. The family has stated that the minor was forcibly taken inside a house by two-three individuals and sexually assaulted against her will.
“The survivor reportedly managed to raise an alarm and escape, after which she was found by her family in a visibly distressed condition. The family acted immediately, approaching the police, and the FIR was lodged this evening after a public outrage,” Zubair Pathan, Social Worker, Navayard told FoEJ Media.
She was going to a shop, and there was a lane nearby where some boys were sitting. They shouted out to her, and the girl thought they might have some work, so she went there. They grabbed her, and 3-4 boys locked her inside a room. They kept the girl locked inside for three to four hours,” she added.
Police records note that the complaint was filed promptly once the facts emerged but people are saying that there were attempts to cover up the incident. Furthermore, when citizens assembled at the police station to demand the registration of the FIR, the police resorted to a lathi charge.
The FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with stringent provisions of the POCSO Act, including sections pertaining to aggravated sexual assault.
Officials have assured the family that the case will be probed thoroughly and strictly in accordance with the law, while ensuring the survivor’s identity remains protected.
