Pune: The youngest juvenile accused in the rape case of an eight-year-old girl in Kondhwa is just 6.7 years old. Another shocking revelation of the case, in which the girl was repeatedly raped over a period of five months, was that the girl was initially raped by five minors and they were later joined by an 18-year-old adult.
The incident came to light on Thursday when the minor girl was taken to a private clinic after she complained of stomach ache. It was revealed during the medical examination that the girl has been sexually abused. The doctor reported swelling and bruises in her private parts.
Out of the five minor, two are 10 years old and the other three are of ages 12, 9 and 6.7 (youngest). Milind Gaikwad, Police Inspector, Kondhwa police station, said, "After being informed by the doctor, the father of the girl took her in confidence and was informed by her about her ordeal. She initially took the name of the teenager, who then revealed the names of the minors."
Gaikwad said that during investigation, it was revealed that the five minors were the first one to allegedly rape the girl. "All children used to play together and the five minors were the first ones to sexually abuse her. They used to take her to the terrace of the building and also to their homes in the absence of their parents. Gradually, the 18-year-old also started playing with the children and raped her," he said. "Someone had even told the victim's maternal grandmother that something wrong was happening with her. Unfortunately, the elderly woman could not understand it then," added Gaikwad.
All six accused were produced in the court and the juvenile justice court on Friday. The 18-year-old has been remanded in police custody till December 28. Four minors have been sent to an observation remand home, whereas the 6.7-year-old accused has been sent to his home.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Dr Manjeet Santre from the Psychiatry Department of Sassoon General Hospital said that the juveniles should undergo a biopsychosocial test. "Many times, the abuser is himself a victim and hence, they tend to abuse another person. The juveniles should be sent for a psychological test to understand the exact reason due to which they were motivated to do such a crime. Their personal lives and socio-economic backgrounds should be thoroughly studied to find the exact reason," said Santre.
