CHENNAI: A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a guest worker after allegedly luring her on the pretext of buying her snacks in Gummidipoondi on Sunday night. Such was the severity of the injury that the child died at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital without responding to treatment on Monday morning.
The Tiruvallur district police arrested the accused, Bibin Manjhi (19) from Bihar, who is working at a steel unit in the SIPCOT industrial estate. The child’s family is also from Bihar and lives near the industrial estate.
On Sunday evening, when the child was playing near her home, Manjhi allegedly offered to buy her snacks and took her to a secluded spot and raped her, said the police.
There were severe injuries to her lower abdomen and rectal area and there was bleeding...The child's condition deteriorated around 4.30 am, and she died at 7.30 amDr A Aravind, dean, Government Stanley Medical College Hospital
When the child did not return, her parents and residents went looking for her and found the child lying unconscious in a bushy area. Seeing Manjhi loitering nearby, some of the residents, who had allegedly seen him with the child, questioned him. But he tried to flee the spot. The people chased and caught Manjhi, and handed him over to the SIPCOT police.
Meanwhile, the child was rushed to the Government Hospital in Kottakarai, Gummidipoondi, on Sunday night and later moved to the Government Stanley Hospital, where she died on Monday morning.
"There were severe injuries to her lower abdomen and rectal area and there was bleeding. The doctors immediately did blood transfusion and gave ventilator support, and paediatric specialists provided round-the-clock ICU care. The child's condition deteriorated around 4.30 am, and she died at 7.30 am," said Dr A Aravind, dean, Government Stanley Hospital.
The body was sent for postmortem examination and handed over to the family. Police have registered a case under the Pocso Act for sexual abuse and under the BNS for murder.
Demanding better safety for children, the angry residents of Pudupettai staged a road blockade before they were pacified by Tiruvallur district officials and senior police officers.
"We met all the protesting public and listened to their concerns. We have asked employers to maintain a list of all guest workers. The SIPCOT authorities were advised to increase CCTV cover in the area, and police have also been asked to increase patrol," said a senior official with Tiruvallur district administration.