UP minor girl critical after being ‘raped’ by juvenile, in front of his sister

16-year-old youth detained, parents arrested for beating up the girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat.

A 13-year-old girl is in a critical condition after she was allegedly raped and beaten by a 16-year-old juvenile in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, a neighbour, allegedly committed the crime in the presence of his sister in Shivli town on Sunday, said Ratan Kant Pandey, Kanpur Dehat deputy inspector general (DIG).

The juvenile, along with his father and mother, also allegedly beat up the girl, leaving her seriously injured. They threatened her of dire consequences if she dared to speak up, before letting her go home, Pandey said.

The victim, however, narrated the incident to her family, who reported it to Shivli police station on Monday, the officer said.

The girl was admitted to a district hospital, from where she was shifted to Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital in Kanpur. Her condition is said to be critical, the DIG said.

An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the juvenile has been detained and his parents arrested on Tuesday, he said.

It has been decided to slap relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added.

The incident adds to the growing spate of sexual assaults on minors in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and other places. The alleged Kathua gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl had led to massive protests across the country.