Minor girl raped in Patna village, cousin detained

Faryal RumiPatna: A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 13-year-old cousin at a village in Patna district late on Tuesday evening. The minor accused has been detained and a case registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said.According to police, the incident occurred around 4pm when the girl was alone at home after her mother went to the market. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused, who lives in the neighbourhood, allegedly entered the house, committed the offence and fled to his grandmother’s house, located around 8km from the incident site. The girl was later found unconscious, after which family members lodged an FIR in local police station late at the night.Following the complaint, the police acted swiftly and detained the juvenile from his grandmother’s house the same night. Given the seriousness of the case, a forensic science laboratory (FSL) team inspected the crime spot and collected evidence, including the victim’s clothing.Superintendent of police (West), Patna, Bhanu Pratap Singh said, “As soon as police received information about the rape incident, a team rushed to the spot and conducted an investigation in accordance with standard operating procedures. The girl was sent to a hospital for medical examination and is stated to be out of danger.”