Rape accused used to lure 10-year-old with chocolate

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25

Like any other child her age, the 10-year-old rape victim, who is now seven-month pregnant, was fond of chocolates. Each time after raping the minor, the 55-year-old accused offered her a chocolate.

Family members narrated the hair-raising tale while interacting with a woman counsellor, who visited their one-room tenement this afternoon.

The family is perplexed over the fate of the medical examination of the girl. If doctors decide not to terminate the pregnancy, who will look after the baby.

The family has been demanding the termination of the pregnancy. The case in now in the apex court.

“She will soon be shifted to the hospital where she will be kept under constant observation for the next few weeks. I will stay with her in the hospital,” said the victim’s mother.

A day before the all-important medical examination, which will decide whether she will deliver the baby or the pregnancy will be terminated, the victim is being made to relax.

She spent her day watching Shin Chan and Doraemon cartoons at a bungalow of a government official where her mother works as maid. According to her mother, she is fond of reading books.

The poor child does not know that she is carrying a seven-month-old baby. The family has told her that she has stone in her stomach and it will be removed after a small operation. Sources said a child counsellor will visit the girl in the morning to explain the treatment.

She is good in studies and loves reading. The family is worried that the pregnancy and its aftermath will affect the studies of their daughter.

Sources said the Child Protection Society authorities are planning to arrange a teacher who will provide her tuitions at home so that her studies are not affected.

About the accused

The accused, a distant relative of the victim’s mother, used to visit the victim’s one-room servant quarters during the afternoon on the pretext of meeting his brother, who works in the adjoining residential bungalow.

“The accused is married and has two children -- a married daughter and a son. The children are shocked by the grotesque act of their father. Now, they have decided to support the victim’s family,” said sources.

The police are also probing whether the accused, who was working with a local hotel, was a paedophile.

The fact came to light after another relative of the accused, who lives in Delhi, stated that the accused had tried to make sexual advances at her daughter too.

Pratibha, the investigating officer, said, “We are probing the matter with utmost care since it involves a child who is seven-month pregnant. We are waiting for the completion of the medical formalities.”

Who will take the girlto the hospital?

Till the filing of this report, neither the State Child Protection Society nor the police had received any orders regarding taking the child to the hospital. Despite repeated attempts, Mahavir Singh, Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority, UT, was not available for comments.

Rajeshwar Singh, law officer, said the medical examination of the victim would be conducted between 9 am and 10 am tomorrow. He said Member Secretary Mahavir Singh was busy conducting a meeting with the board members of the PGI to discuss the modalities of the medical examination.

Elder sister pillar of strength

The incident has devastated the victim’s parents and they are in distress. However, the victim’s elder sister is proving to be a pillar of strength for the family. Despite the incident, she did not stop going to school. She is attending her classes and back home, she accompanies her sister.

“She has become more protective about her sister and spends a majority of the time with her after school,” said the girl’s mother.

Girl has a heart condition

It will not be easy for the eight-member board constituted by the PGI as the girl has a heart condition and was operated upon for ventricular septal defect. The opinion of the cardiologist, Prof Rohit Manoj Kumar, will play an important role. The girl weighs 44 kg. Sources said initially the family suspected that the girl was gaining weight due to the heart problem. It was much later that they learnt about the pregnancy.