Ujjain rape case: people who refused to help may be charged under anti-child sex abuse laws
text_fields
In the case of the 15-year-old girl in Ujjain who was raped and left half-naked and bleeding, individuals who refused to provide assistance may face charges under anti-child sex abuse laws.
The Madhya Pradesh police have initiated action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act for "failing to report or register the commission" of a crime against an auto-rickshaw driver named Rakesh Malviya, who knowingly did not inform the police about the victim's condition. He transported the girl in his vehicle but chose not to inform authorities.
Additional Superintendent of Police in Ujjain, Jayant Singh Rathore, stated that if more individuals are identified through CCTV footage who did not help the girl or did not inform the police, legal action will be taken against them.
The case drew attention after CCTV footage revealed a man shooing the bleeding girl away without offering assistance. While some locals gave her money, they did not take her in or contact the police. Fortunately, a priest eventually protected her and alerted the authorities.
Apart from the priest, two policemen donated blood to help the victim. The officer credited with solving the case has expressed willingness to adopt the girl if her family cannot be located.
Meanwhile, the father of the main accused, Bharat Soni, has expressed his desire for his son to be punished and even suggested the death penalty.
The investigation into the case involved scanning footage from nearly 700 CCTV feeds, and once the accused was captured, he attempted to escape but was apprehended by police officers, reported NDTV.
As of now, the victim is stable after surgery, but she has not provided a statement to the police due to her incoherent state. Authorities are working to determine if she is the same girl listed in a missing person's complaint from another district, which would involve her grandmother and brother.
