VADODARA: In yet another incident that has tarnished the ‘safe city’ image of Sanskarinagri, a minor girl was allegedly raped by a juvenile boy inside a luxury bus on the New VIP Road while his two acquaintances kept a watch outside.
The crime was committed on the night of January 2 when the girl was out to buy groceries for her family and then went to relieve herself behind the parked bus. The juvenile who allegedly committed the rape, has been detained by the police but two other accused are still on the run.
According to police, the 16-year-old girl, who belongs to a tribal community, went behind the parked luxury bus on the New VIP Road to relieve herself at about 9pm. The accused, who was following her, convinced her to get into the bus. “When he raped the girl, two others who are known to the juvenile boy, kept watch outside,” said assistant commissioner of police (ACP) BB Rathod.
The girl told her uncle about the crime after five days. Her family then took her to their native at Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh and approached the local police who asked them to report the incident in the city as the crime had happened here.
“The girl’s uncle approached Harni police on Tuesday night and filed an FIR. We have booked the juvenile under IPC 376 and POCSO Act,” Rathod told TOI.
An official said, “One of the accused, who kept a watch outside is the driver of the bus. We have launched a search for both the accused.”
Investigating officials said the rape survivor and the juvenile know each other as their houses are in close proximity and they belong to the same community. The girl and juvenile’s family members are labourers and have been staying in roadside shanties in the city for the last 15 years. The cops have done a medical test of the girl and also conducted forensic tests at the spot of the crime in the bus.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
