A 5-year-old girl is fighting for her life at a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior after being raped by her teenaged neighbour. The incident, which occurred on February 22 in Shivpuri district, has left the child with catastrophic injuries, including severe internal trauma, bite marks, head wounds and 28 stitches to her genitalia, according to doctors.
The Night Of Horror
The girl was reported missing by her family on the evening of February 22 and discovered nearly two hours later, unconscious and bleeding on the terrace of an abandoned house not far from their residence. According to the police, a 17-year-old neighbour, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, lured the child away before assaulting her. According to doctors treating the girl at Gwalior's Kamalaraja Hospital, the attacker repeatedly slammed her head against walls and the floor, bit her face and body, and inflicted injuries so severe that her private parts were nearly torn into two.
Upon admission to Kamalaraja Hospital, surgeons performed an emergency two-hour operation to address life-threatening injuries. The doctors had to cut her large intestine to create an artificial anus, and inserted a urinary catheter.
Though stable, the child remains in critical care, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Family's Anguish, Public Outcry
The rape survivor's family have demanded the harshest punishment for the attacker. Her grandfather even called for the death penalty. The family alleges the accused is an adult, contradicting police classification of him as a 17-year-old boy.
Protests erupted in Shivpuri on February 24, with residents and political leaders from the BJP and Congress rallying outside the district collectorate. Union Minister and local MP Jyotiraditya Scindia condemned the attack on social media, vowing to ensure the "strictest action under the law."
"As soon as I got information about the inhuman act done with our innocent daughter in Dinara of Shivpuri, I spoke to the family members on the phone today and encouraged them. My daughter is currently admitted in the hospital, and her condition is stable. I am constantly in touch with the team of doctors. There is no place for such crimes in our region and state. I took immediate cognizance of the incident and spoke to the district administration and Shivpuri Superintendent of Police and directed them to take strict action against," Mr Scindia said in a statement.
शिवपुरी के दिनारा में हमारी मासूम बेटी के साथ हुए अमानवीय कृत्य की जानकारी मिलते ही आज परिजनों से फोन पर बातचीत की एवं उन्हें हौसला दिया। बेटी अभी अस्पताल में भर्ती है और उसकी हालत स्थिर है। मैं लगातार डॉक्टरों की टीम के संपर्क में हूं।
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 25, 2025
हमारे क्षेत्र और प्रदेश में इस तरह के…
The accused is in custody and will be tried under juvenile laws, though his exact age remains under scrutiny. Under India's Juvenile Justice Act, individuals aged 16-18 can be tried as adults for heinous crimes, a provision the victim's family insists must apply.
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