Police in Agra have registered a case against a 14-year-old boy for the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl from his neighbourhood. The incident, which has sent shockwaves through the locality, occurred on December 23, according to officials.
Details of the Alleged Assault
According to the police, the accused, a Class 9 student, allegedly lured the young girl while she was playing outside her house. He then took her to a secluded plot nearby where the assault took place. After the traumatic incident, the child returned home and narrated what happened to her mother.
The family immediately approached the police, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR). The case has been filed under BNS Section 65(2), which pertains to rape, and relevant sections of the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police Action and Juvenile Justice Process
Following the registration of the case, the accused boy went into hiding. However, Agra police managed to trace and locate him on Saturday. The minor accused was subsequently produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). As per the standard legal procedure for such cases, he has been sent to a juvenile home.
Station House Officer (SHO) involved in the case confirmed that both the survivor's and the accused's families belong to similar economic backgrounds and live in close proximity within the same locality.
Etmadpur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Devesh Singh stated that legal proceedings are being carried out in strict adherence to juvenile justice norms. "The survivor was sent for a medical examination, and statements are being recorded as part of the ongoing investigation," ACP Singh said.
A Pattern of Concern in the Region
This distressing incident is not an isolated one in the Agra region. Police officials pointed out that a similar case, involving a minor survivor and a minor accused, was reported from another part of the city recently. In that earlier incident, the boy had allegedly entered the girl's house on the pretext of collecting study material.
The repeated occurrence of such crimes involving minors has raised serious concerns about child safety and the need for heightened awareness and preventive measures within communities. The Agra police's swift action in tracing the accused and initiating proceedings under the POCSO Act highlights the legal framework's focus on dealing sternly with crimes against children, even when the accused is a juvenile.
