Stalker attacks minor girl with sickle, victim critical

Unable to digest the fact that the girl he fancied spurned his advances, a 19-year-old stalker attacked a 17-year-old girl with a sickle used for chopping coconuts, in broad daylight in Barkatpura area here on Wednesday.

The victim, an intermediate student, is battling for life with ventilator support at a corporate hospital with more than 15 wounds on her body.

The girl was on her way to college from her home when the accused, her neighbour Bharat, waylaid her and picked up an argument insisting that she accept his proposal. Bharat, an undergraduate student of a different college, is said to have been stalking the girl for more than a year. The girl recently informed her parents about the harassment.

A complaint was lodged at Kacheguda police station. The police counselled Bharat at Bharosa centre that offers security to women. The police said Bharat was even warned not to trouble the girl. After keeping quiet for a month, Bharat approached the girl on Wednesday.

No help came

When the girl did not relent, he took out a sickle and attacked her, slashing her indiscriminately. When the girl tried to run away, he pulled her back and continued to attack. Her family members said none from the neighbourhood ventured to stop Bharat. The girl’s family also alleged that Bharat’s parents had ignored their complaint about him harassing their daughter.

Kacheguda station house officer S Janaki Reddy said Bharat ran away after the girl collapsed but special police teams succeeded in locating him and arresting him. A case of attempt to murder and criminal intimidation has been registered against Bharat.

Child rights organisation, Balala Hakkula Sangham, has asked the police to register a case under the amended Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the accused.