3-year-old sexually abused by neighbour

A 52-year-old man has been arrested for sexually abusing a three-year-old girl in Devarabeesanahalli on Monday.

According to the police, the incident happened around 1.30 pm when the child’s parents were at work. Babu, offering chocolates, lured the girl when she was playing in front of her house. Taking her to his room he allegedly abused her.

When the mother returned from work around that time, she saw her child carrying her slippers and walking out of Babu’s room with her underpants on her legs. On inquiring with the child, she said, “ye budda kiya” (this old man did it). The mother went into the room to find Babu sitting in his underwear and screamed at him. Raising an alarm she gathered the locals, who informed the police control room. The Marathahalli police rushed to the spot and nabbed the culprit.

Meanwhile, the victim’s parents and neighbours rushed her to a private hospital where the doctors confirmed sexual abuse. As an examination at a government hospital was needed, the police took the victim and the accused in separate vehicles to Bowring Hospital.

Babu was booked under Sections 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The Magistrate remanded him to judicial custody. A native of Vellore, he came to Bengaluru three years ago without his family. Residing three houses away from the victim, he worked as a welder, the police said.

“The victim’s father is a housekeeping staff at a private firm. While he has been working in the city for about 14 years, he brought his family only around four months back,” said Pranabjyothi Bohra, an activist said.