Two shocking incidents have come to light in Gujarat – one in Surendranagar district and another in Surat district – in which two toddlers were raped and one murdered.
In the first incident, the body of a toddler (18 months old) was reportedly exhumed and then raped in Thangad taluka of Surendranagar district. An investigation has been launched after the registration of a case based on the victim’s family’s complaint.
As per the family of the toddler, she had a congenital heart defect since birth and had been undergoing treatment. She succumbed to the illness on February 25 after which family members buried her in a children’s cemetery.
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A day after burial
When the family visited her grave a day after her burial, it was found to be unearthed and the toddler’s body had no clothes.
“The family complained that the baby girl’s body was exhumed from the grave the day after her burial and they suspected someone tampered with the body. Primary inspection confirmed that she had been raped,” said sub-inspector VI Khadia from Thangadh police station, who is investigating the case.
The Thangad police has sent the child’s body for a forensic post-mortem to the neighbouring Rajkot district.
“If the report of the forensic laboratory confirms that the victim has been raped, the complaint will then be registered under IPC Section 377 for committing rape on a dead body,” the investing officer stated.
Second case
One day after this horrific incident, another toddler was raped and murdered in South Gujarat’s Surat district. The incident occurred at Sachin where a 21-month-old toddler was first raped and then murdered.
The accused reportedly kidnapped the girl and took her to an isolated place and raped her. He then killed the toddler and dumped the body near a lake.
The police found the body the next day and an FIR was registered. The accused has been identified as one Yusuf alias Ismail. He was reportedly known to the victim and her family. He was a regular visitor to the victim’s home and used to play with the minor and often take her out to buy something to eat.
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On the day of the incident, the accused took the victim with him. However, when the toddler and the accused did not return after a long time, the family of the child approached the Surat police.
The girl’s body was sent for post-mortem, where it was confirmed the toddler was raped and then murdered.
The Surat police have launched a manhunt to arrest the absconding accused and an FIR has been filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including IPC 377 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.