Six-year-old girl rescued unharmed within hours of abduction

Surat: Pandesara police rescued a six-year-old girl from a wooded area on Wednesday morning, hours after she was abducted by a 33-year-old man who allegedly intended to sexually assault her.The accused, Pradip Pal alias Bhagat, allegedly lured the child with snacks and chocolates on Tuesday evening before taking her to a deserted patch behind the Pandesara CETP plant.According to police, the girl was found unharmed as the accused reportedly abandoned his plan out of fear of being caught. A team of nearly 50 policemen, led by assistant commissioner of police (ACP) ZR Desai and Pandesara police inspector KD Jadeja, conducted an extensive overnight search operation to trace the child.Police said the girl lives in Pandesara with her parents and two siblings aged eight and six. On Tuesday evening, she was playing near her house when her mother had stepped out for work and her father was asleep after finishing his night duty. Around 6.30pm, the accused approached the child, lured her with snacks and chocolates, and took her away.Pal, a father of two daughters, allegedly walked nearly three km with the girl to a deserted area in the woods behind the CETP plant.Sources said the accused heard movement of people nearby and fearing he might be caught if the girl raised an alarm. He considered leaving her near her home, but abandoned the idea fearing identification. As night fell, the accused and the child slept at the spot."We received the complaint from the girl's parents at around 10.30pm and immediately formed teams from Pandesara, Khatodara and Althan police stations to search for her," ACP Desai told TOI. "We examined CCTV footage and gathered human intelligence which suggested the accused had last been seen near Prime Point in Pandesara. Based on inputs, we traced them. The victim was found safe and the accused was sleeping nearby when we nabbed him."Police said the child underwent medical examination which ruled out sexual assault.