Jaipur: A 23-year-old man from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly luring a four-year-old girl and raping her in Jodhpur, police said.
The accused lured her with the promise of buying toffee around 9 am, a police officer said.
A police case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Bilara police station Sawai Singh Sodha said.
“She was taken to Bilara Hospital. Due to the seriousness of her condition, doctors provided primary care before referring her to a government hospital in Jodhpur, where she is currently undergoing treatment,” an officer said.
The incident led to protests, and markets were shut in Bilara town. Locals demanded strict punishment.
“The accused, a JCB operator, had previously worked in the girl’s village. He was recently in the village to attend a mourning gathering for a former village head,” the officer said, adding that police suspect the accused knew the girl’s family, as one of their relatives is also a JCB operator.