Raped 6-yr-old rescued from Mahim railway tracks

Mumbai: In yet another case of child abuse, a six-year-old girl was rescued on Monday night from near the railway tracks at Mahim station where she was dumped after being raped. However, moments before the child fell unconscious, she whispered the identity of her tormentor into her mother's ear.

According to the police, the victim, a resident of Jai Bajrang Nagar in Mahim (East), was discovered by her relatives, who had launched a search operation after she went missing. Prima facie investigations revealed that the accused raped the girl on the railway tracks, and fearing public wrath, dumped the victim next to the tracks before fleeing the spot.

The police have recovered victim's blood-soaked clothes from the crime scene.

The tragedy

Around 6 pm Monday, the victim, a student of Std I, returned home from school and was supposed to go for Arabic classes in the neighbourhood. While her younger sister reached on time, the victim did not. Fearing for the pupil's safety, the teacher alerted her family, and a manhunt was launched at 7 pm.

It was the victim's mother who spotted the child at 8.30 pm near the railway tracks. The victim was hysterical and was bleeding heavily. The moment her mother cuddled her, the girl said her tormentor's name before she fainted.

She was then rushed to a local hospital, where she was given primary treatment. She was later shifted to Nagpada police hospital, where medical tests confirmed that she was raped. She is currently undergoing treatment at JJ Hospital.
 
'Looked harmless'

Divulging information on the accused's identity, Sameer Sheikh, a local, who was a part of the search party, said, "The accused had been staying in the area as a paying guest for the past year. He is a native of Uttar Pradesh and worked as a salesman in a private firm."

Shanti More, another local, added, "The accused would always give chocolates to young girls in the area and play with kids.

He appeared harmless. Not even in my wildest dreams had I imagined his cruel intentions. He has ruined the girl's life. He should be caught and punished."

Copspeak

Senior PI from the Shahu Nagar police station said, "We have registered a case of kidnapping and rape, and are very close to nabbing the accused, so we are not revealing his identity. All we can say is that he is in his early 20's. The girl's condition is now stable. We have sent her clothes to the forensic lab for a DNA test."