36-yr-old man 'rapes' 13-yr-old home-alone neighbour

A 36-year-old married man allegedly raped the 13-year-old daughter of his neighbour after finding out that she was alone at home. The incident occurred in North Bengaluru's Basaveshwaranagar police station limits around 3 pm on Sunday.

Srinivas went to the victim's house on the pretext of watching television after her parents went out. Since he is a neighbour, the unsuspecting girl let him in. Her parents had left home on some errand. 

Srinivas learnt from the girl that her parents will not be coming anytime soon. He then sexually abused her and left the house. In the evening, when the girl’s parents returned, they found her perturbed. She seemed anxious and did not eat dinner properly. When the mother asked her what was the matter, she revealed it all. 

The family later filed a complaint at the Basaveshwaranagar police station. Srinivas was arrested from his house on Monday. 

Srinivas has been booked for rape under the IPC, sections 4, 6, 8, and 12 of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, and the Atrocities Act, a senior police officer said.

Both the suspect and the victim were subjected to medical examination. Since the suspect is a neighbour, police are investigating if he had sexually assaulted the girl or other women in the locality previously. Preliminary investigation shows that he has no criminal record. 

Srinivas works as an office assistant at a photo studio in Majestic. He has been married for 12 years and has a 10-year-old daughter who is in the fourth standard, police said.