New Delhi:
A man, who had attempted to rape a two-and-a-half-year-old child inside a temple, has been jailed for five years by a Delhi court which said instances of minor girls being victim to such "nefarious acts" are rising.
Additional Sessions Judge Illa Rawat held Delhi resident Bhupender guilty of trying to rape the toddler and said that he does not deserve any leniency.
"The act of convict (Bhupender), is not only gruesome, but has had far-fetched and irreparable consequences on the psychology of the victim child, who till date is afraid of being in a closed room.
"The instances of minor girls being victim to such nefarious acts and deeds are on rise and thus, no leniency is called for in the matter," the court said and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him."
It directed the Delhi government to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh to the victim for her welfare and rehabilitation under the 'Restorative and Compensatory Justice' scheme.
The court noted that offence was committed by the convict in broad day light at a "very sacred yet secluded place, i.e., Parikarama area behind the place, where the idols were kept in a temple".
"Had it not been for the vigilant mother of the victim child, who went in search for her within 10 minutes of her leaving the house to buy something for herself, the convict could have succeeded in ravishing the minor child to satisfy his lust," it noted.
According to police, the incident took place in September last year when the girl had gone to a shop in vicinity of her house to buy toffees and Bhupender picked her up and took her to the 'Parikarama' area in a temple in Jahangir Puri in Delhi.
He tried to rape the child but she was saved with the timely intervention of her mother who, while searching for her, reached in the room after hearing her cries.
The child rushed towards her mother crying and the man was caught at the spot by the woman who raised an alarm.
During the trial, Bhupender had claimed innocent that he has been falsely implicated in the case by the parents of the child merely on suspicion.