A labourer was arrested for raping his three-year-old step-daughter at the labour quarters on Barewal Road on Thursday night.
The child’s mother, a labourer, was away at work when the incident took place. Locals caught the accused after hearing the girl’s screams and beat him up before handing him over to the police.
The child’s mother said she had married the accused a few months ago after the death of her first husband. On Thursday night, she was at work, while her daughter and son were home with him.
Inspector Paramdeep Singh, SHO, Sarabha Nagar police station, said locals informed the police around 10pm after catching the accused red-handed and also rushed the child to a hospital.
The accused was arrested and booked under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.