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Ujjain Rape Case: One Arrested, SIT Formed, Hindu Priest Rahul Sharma Recalls Encounter With 12-Year-Old Victim
Hindu priest Rahul Sharma
A suspect has been apprehended in connection with the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, who, desperately seeking help, went door to door but was callously turned away.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra informed NDTV, "A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted, and the girl, currently facing difficulty in speaking, appears not to be a resident of Ujjain."
He added that the victim was eventually admitted to the hospital, where medical professionals confirmed the assault, and is now in stable condition.
The distressing incident, evoking shock, disgrace, and fury, unfolded as the partially unclothed and bleeding girl pleaded for assistance but faced rejection.
She finally found a Hindu priest, who came to her aid. Rahul Sharma, affiliated with an ashram on Badnagar Road, approximately 15 km from Ujjain city, encountered the girl around 9:30 am as he was leaving the ashram for errands.
Sharma provided her with his clothes. The girl, unable to speak and with swollen eyes, prompted him to call emergency services. When efforts to reach the police via the helpline failed, he contacted the Mahakal police station, apprising them of the dire situation. Police responded to the ashram within 20 minutes.
According to Sharma, although the girl was attempting to communicate, her fear hindered comprehension. They inquired about her identity and family, assuring her safety and requesting contact details.
Despite her apprehension, the girl seemed to place trust in Sharma as they awaited the arrival of the police. Other individuals approaching her prompted her to seek refuge behind the priest, who noted that she began speaking more freely once the police arrived and took her into custody.
The priest mentioned that the girl made references to a location, which they couldn't fully grasp.
Senior police officer Sachin Sharma disclosed that the girl remains unable to identify herself or her family, though her accent suggests roots in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, nearly 900 km away.
Police have lodged a rape case against unidentified perpetrators, invoking charges of child abuse under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
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