Ayodhya: Dalit Girl, 4, Critical After Rape By 35-Year-Old Man, Accused Arrested In Police Encounter

Ayodhya News: A 4-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old man named Salman. The accused was arrested after an encounter with the police, during which he was injured.

Ayodhya News: A 4-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old man in a village within the Maharajganj area of Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh, police said on Tuesday. The accused, identified as Salman, was arrested following an encounter with the police a few hours after the crime. During the encounter, Salman suffered a bullet injury in his leg while attempting to flee, according to police.

The incident took place on Monday evening when Salman, a resident of the same village, allegedly lured the girl near his house and raped her before fleeing the scene, news agency PTI reported. The girl's family reported her missing when she did not return home after 4-5 hours, leading to a frantic search. The girl was eventually found near Salman's residence, prompting the family to notify the police.

Given the rising tension in the village, the authorities have implemented extensive police arrangements to maintain law and order, officials noted. Ayodhya Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sandeep Singh provided details of the encounter, stating, "The accused Salman was attempting to flee after opening fire at a police team near Tarapur village on Aimee Alapur Road in Maharajganj. The police retaliated and shot at him, leaving him injured, after which he was apprehended", as per PTI.

Salman has since been admitted to the hospital under police custody. The rape survivor, who is in a critical condition, has been rushed to the hospital for treatment, police officials added. A thorough investigation into the matter is currently underway.

Ayodhya Gangrape Case: Shocking Details Emerge From FIR

In a separate incident earlier this month, disturbing details emerged from an FIR filed in connection with the gang-rape of a 12-year-old girl in Ayodhya. The victim’s mother claimed that her daughter had been sexually assaulted for two months. The accused in this case include Moin Khan and his servant, Raju Khan.

According to the FIR, the ordeal began when Raju Khan lured the minor to Moin Khan’s bakery under the pretext of work. The FIR revealed that Moin Khan raped the girl and filmed the act on his mobile phone, news agency IANS reported. Subsequently, Raju Khan also raped the minor, threatening her with death and the release of the video if she disclosed the crime. The girl was repeatedly blackmailed and raped, eventually resulting in her pregnancy.

Fearing shame and humiliation, the minor girl remained silent until a doctor confirmed her pregnancy, already in its second month. The complaint was registered with the police on July 29. In response to the incident, a bulldozer was deployed to demolish the illegal construction owned by Moin Khan. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has arranged financial aid of Rs 5 lakh for the victim and assured strict action against the culprits.

Purakalandar police station in-charge Ratan Sharma and Bhadarsa outpost in-charge Akhilesh Gupta were suspended. Chief Minister Adityanath stated that no culprit will be spared and met with the victim’s family to offer his assurances.